Casa de Azulejos

The colonial mansion that you see here is of the Casa de Azulejos or House of Tiles. It is one of the more popular places for Mexicans and tourists to visit. It is a Sanbourn's restaurant and store near the Zocolo (City Centre) and Marcel and I, along with Ahava had lunch here today. We have taken groups from Hamilton and Cleveland here this past summer and now we wanted to go for ourselves without a large crowd. The waitresses dress in traditional Mexican costumes and the interior of the building is a large courtyard area typical of rich estate homes. A large mural by a famous Mexican muralist, Jose Clemente Orozco, adorns the stairwell wall. Before you think we spent too much money here on food, let me say the prices are very reasonable; the three of us ate for just over $20.

What is really neat about this place is the history. The building was originally made in the 16th century (1596) as the residence of the Counts of Orizaba. The exterior tiles were added during the 18th century. The tiles are from the State of Puebla and are blue Talavera tiles. A story exists that this building was tiled on the outside out of spite. The owner's father had told his son that he would "...never live in a house of tiles", expressing the idea that the son would never amount to anything. From 1891 to 1914, the building was an exclusive Jockey Club. Then during the Revolution, the Zapatista army occupied the building. Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata did eat here and there is a famous photograph that is still a popular item today. In 1919, Americans Walter and Frank Sanborn turned the building into a soda fountain and the Sanborns chain had begun.