Mexico City administrative buildings

At the time, the State of Mexico had its headquarters in the old Palace of the Inquisition (Now the Museum of Medicine) but then had to move to Texcoco.

While it is still considered under federal jurisdiction, recently, changes have been made, such as the allowing of direct elections of the Chief or "mayor" of the District.

[2] The first local authority in New Spain was the ayuntamiento (district council) of Villa Rica in Veracruz, established where Hernán Cortés came ashore in the early 16th century.

Work began in 1720 under viceroy Baltasar de Zúñiga, 1st Duke of Arión, who managed to have the portals built.

[2] In 1910, the building was remodeled for the upcoming centennial of Independence by architect Manuel Gorozope[1] and engineer Guillermo Beltrán.

This front facade has talavera tile murals with the coats of arms of Coyoacán, where the ayuntamiento was before here, of the founding of Mexico City, of Christopher Columbus, of Hernán Cortés, of Mexico City as authorized by Charles V and of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz.

[3] The exterior of the building is topped by two square corner towers, each containing three small arches, whose balustrade appears to spill over the pediments and the eagles that overlook the Zocalo.

[6] The right side patio is home to the Salon de Cabildos, which was recently restored and open for public viewing.

After demolition of the old colonial-period Portal de las Flores in 1935,[6] the current structure was built between 1941 and 1948[1] and designed to fit in with the rest of the architecture of the Zocalo,[2] as well as to be symmetrical with the "old" Palace of the Ayuntamiento next door.

[6] When the current edifice was being built, they found the remains of the house of Doña Marina or La Malinche and that of the wife of treasurer Alonso de Estrada.

While the Old Town Hall is overshadowed by the National Palace and Mexico City Cathedral, it has been the scene of some political and social events.

In December 2007, microbus operators protested there for a number of days until District Chief Marcelo Ebrard promised to meet with them about their demands for higher tariffs.