ROMEO + JULIET at Chapultepec Castle Mexico City

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

~

Juliet

Romeo + Juliet

Shakespeare

Chapultepec Castle Mexico City is one of the top places to visit there.

Why?

Some scenes of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet film by Baz Luhrmann was filmed here. In his film, Verona is set in Mexico City.

Chapultepec Castle Mexico City - Castillo de Chapultepec

Chapultepec Castle stands on the hill. It’s situated in a large park, the Bosque de Chapultepec. The Spanish built it in the 18^th Century.

Inside the castle, you can visit the National Museum of History.

Cityscape

You hear the blades of the helicopter whir.

The filming swoops across the cityscape.

And, you glide from above thru Paseo de la Reforma.

The building on the left has a Capulet sign on its roof.

And, a building opposite on the right has Montague at the top.

In between is a big statue of Jesus.

Paseo de la Reforma

Paseo de la Reforma is the “Promenade of the Reform”.

You will notice that in this area of Mexico City. There is an array of red colors in the buildings.

Since the film was made in 1996. The structure of the buildings on Paseo de la Reforma have been transformed. You will notice skyscrapers stand out in the sky.

If you make a comparison to the scenes in Romeo and Juliet, the buildings are not so tall.

The View from Chapultepec Castle Mexico City

You can see six white and black poles. They represent the Altar A la Patria.

Further in the distance, is the monument Estela de Luz.

And, you can see the tall towers that have been built and those under construction.

Torre (Tower)

In 2014, standing on the terrace of Chapultepec Castle. And, looking down Paseo de la Reforma.

On the left, you can see Torre Mayor and Torre Reforma. In front of Torre Mayor, you can see boarding up, which could be the start of Chapultepec Uno.

And, on the right, you see BBVA Torre. You can see cranes on the towers reflecting that they are in construction mode.

Capulet + Montague

When you attempt to work out which are the buildings on Paseo de la Reforma. That were chosen to have the family signs put on them.

First, you’ll notice that there are several monuments and roundabouts along Paseo de la Reforma. But, there’s no Jesus one.

It’s the green building on the left which makes you aware. That the Angel of Independence has been altered to appear in the scene.

The green building is the Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel. It has the Capulet sign on it.

Diagonally across the road is the Torre del Angel. And, it has the Montague sign standing on it.

The National Museum of History

Museo Nacional de Historia

What Can You See Inside Chapultepec Castle?

Well, some of the things you can see at Chapultepec Castle and the National Museum of History follow.

The Museum and history rooms

• Large Painted Murals adorn the walls of Chapultepec Castle. They portray the history of Mexico.
  • Events leading to the Independence from Spain, 16 September 1815
  • Reform and Fall of the Empire
  • The Fusion of Two Cultures
  • Porfirian Feudalism
  • Mexican Revolution and its story
  • 1917 Constitution
  • the Battle at Chapultepec Castle against American forces
• Military uniforms, canons, guns
• The Mexican Coat of Arms: A Mexican Eagle sits on a cactus eating a rattlesnake standing on a lake
• The Mexican Flag
• Period Dresses
• Paintings including painting of the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral at Zocalo
• Furniture

The Imperial Residence

• Bedrooms
• Living Room
• Sitting Room
• Portrait of Carlota of Mexico
• Portrait of Maximilian I of Mexico
• Carriage Room
• Dining Room
• Tea Room
• Bathroom

Chapultepec Castle and Architecture

• Stair Cases
• Balconies
• Garden of Alcazar
• Elevator
• Stained Glass Windows
• Tower
• Terrace
• Views of the surrounding area

Garden of Alcazar

When is Chapultepec Castle Mexico City Open?

Due to COVID-19, the museum is closed. When it reopens, check for restrictions about visiting Chapultepec Castle.

Normally, it is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm.

The museum is not open on Mondays.

What’s the Best Way to See Chapultepec Castle Mexico City?

The best way to see Chapultepec Castle is with a guided tour.

We booked a guided tour for the two of us. It included the Museo Nacional de Antropologia. (open Tuesdays to Sundays 9 am to 7 pm. Closed Mondays.)

And, we stopped at a place for lunch.

We walked between the castle, the museum, and the lunch stop back to the tram.

How to Get to Chapultepec Castle Mexico City.

At the bottom of the hill, there are the ticket gates. You will find lockers to store bags.

Then, you can walk leisurely up the hill to the castle and its gardens.

Inside, it houses the museum. And, you can walk around the building.

At a balcony, you can imagine Juliet standing there. And down below, Romeo listens to Juliet speak.

You can stay at a hotel on Paseo de la Reforma. And, you can catch the tram that goes to and through the park.

What Attractions Are near Chapultepec Castle?

National Museum of Anthropology

The Chapultepec Zoo

Museum of Modern Art – Museo de Arte Moderno

A Market

Romeo + Juliet

Did you study one of Shakespeare’s plays at school? Macbeth was the one that I did.

Which one did you study?

Have you read Romeo + Juliet?