My many trips to Mexico over the years going back to 1994 and up to 2018, saw plenty, had a great time, but most importantly the friendships gathered now for over 24 years and still strong are tops. It is fun and lots of architecture and history that I have enjoyed greatly, I have mentioned very briefly this area but need to have it in my blog, after all my blog is my life’s history, Therefore, let me tell you a bit about an off the beaten path ,see Santa Fe and Cuajimalpa in Mexico City !!! Hope you enjoy this post as much as I.
I first went here to see an old friend in Cuajimalpa de Morelos and he took me to the Santa Fe mall here, Then, went for business trips see firms in this area, and finally not only continue to come for business but to see another friend who lives right in Santa Fe ! And for which I am still in touch , These trips had very little pictures but provide it an opportunity to see these chic areas of Mexico City, Memories forever I say !!
The district of Santa Fe is dominated by office skyscrapers, and is Mexico City’s most modern neighborhood, and Latin America in financial and commercial terms. Located in the west of the federal district, it is part of the mayor’s enclaves of Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón.The streets are lined with international establishments ranging from fast food to gourmet cuisine. The area includes several university campuses and global hotel chains, important international companies have their local or regional offices as well as Mexican companies have their central headquarters, yes indeed !
The District of Santa Fe is located next to the federal highway No. 15D Mexico-Toluca and the Mexico-Toluca 134D highway that communicate with Toluca. The geographical limits of the Santa Fe district as described by the Federal District Government (GDF) are: In the north: Lomas de Memetla colonies, the Yaqui, and Lomas de Vista Hermosa, then, the Mexico-Toluca free road, on the other side of which are the three colonies of Palo Alto, and behind them Colonia Bosques de Las Lomas where the Arcos Bosques Commercial Complex is located, in the west: colonias Lomas de San Pedro , Loma del Ocote, Contadero, and town of San Mateo Tlaltenango, In the south: Ejido San Mateo, town of Santa Lucía, and colonias Corpus Christi, State of Hidalgo, Garcimarrero and Ourense, in the east: town of Santa Fe, colonias de Bejero of the town of Santa Fe, Tlapechico, and Expansion Jalalpa, Santa Fe can take public transport, from several stations of the Collective Transport System (Metro) as well as by bus and collective microbus from the center, Also, the Tren México-Toluca train, also known as the El Insurgente is an interurban train that connects the metropolitan area of Valle de Toluca with the west of the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico. Passing with a stop in Santa Fe, The official El Insurgente train : https://trenelinsurgente.mx/como-funciona/
Inside,the district of Santa Fe is divided into four zones and several colonies. The Paseo de la Reforma and the avenue Constituyentes are the main means of access from the center of the city of Mexico City. Composed mainly of high -rise buildings surrounding a large shopping center, the Centro Santa Fe ,built in1993, the largest in Latin America, it welcomes shops, educational establishments and housing. There are also three universities ,including the Ibero-American University and three colleges, but also the headquarters of many national and international companies. A vast shopping center with 500 stores that is among the largest in Latin America. The mall is chic shopping like if you were in Paris ! The official Centro Santa Fe mall : https://centrosantafe.com.mx/
A bit of history I like tell us that the current district of Santa Fe takes its name from Santa Fé of México, and the Hospital Pueblo of Santa Fe of the 16C, founded by Vasco de Quiroga in 1532, whose ruins are still visible today in the region. During the Spanish colonial era (late 15C – early 19C) and the first century of independent Mexico (early 19C – early 20C), the current district of Santa Fe had a landscape marked by the exploitation of open sand deposits, the site was located along the old royal road connecting Tacubaya to Toluca. This route was located on the current avenue known as Cuajimalpa Arteaga y Salazar, crossing the mountains of the Sierra de Las Cruces and continuing by the current road of the Federal Highway which links Mexico to Toluca.
I like to include this nearby town with lots of memories on a personal basis took no pictures of the families nor the places they took me, Cuajimalpa de Morelos is surrounded by the towns of Ocoyoacac, to the north with that of Huixquilucan and Naucalpan, the three located in the State of Mexico, to the North it borders the Miguel Hidalgo and the East delegation with the Álvaro Obregón and Magdalena Contreras delegations, with the latter shares the top of Mount of San Miguel (3800 meters), extinct volcan and, also an icon of the delegation, especially for its relationship with the image of San Miguel Arcángel of the parish of the town of San Pedro Cuajimalpa, and by the picturesque snow of its top, the head of the delegation is at a height of 2750 meters , while the lowest point is 2420 meters above sea level on the border with that of the. Miguel Hidalgo. The area is basically mountainous, with few flat areas.
The development of the shopping centers of Santa Fe, forests, peaches fruit trees and lilas flower trees, introduced luxury restaurants to the area. Gastronomy in Cuajimalpa is varied, cosmopolitan and international thanks to the large number of corporate and residential, providing a wide range of typical meals, Mexican snacks, taquerías, etc. The area of preference for tourism is the Los Leones desert National Park and the Miguel Hidalgo and Costilla National Park popularly known as La Marquesa, in which camping, zinade, walking, mountain and fishing bicycle are carried out in small lakes, cabins with grills and recreational areas of family coexistence. The Peterson School – Campus Cuajimalpa is a private school with a high reputation in Mexico and have visited with my friends as their kids went to school here, saw them playing football/soccer and ice hockey !! Memories forever, Their webpage : https://www.peterson.edu.mx/admissions/choose-your-campus/cuajimalpa
A bit of history tell us that in Cuajimalpa de Morelos by 1604 the construction of a monastery began in the so -called Santo Desierto de Cuajimalpa (Holy Desert ) o Desierto de los Leones,( Desert of the Lions), to house the religious. The construction of the parish of San Pedro Cuajimalpa, between the years of 1628 and 1755, in which it was formally finished , Among its artistic treasures are, an ancient San Miguel and a Virgin of Guadalupe, faithful copy of the original, as well as others portraits and sculptures, In 1862 the creation of the town of Cuajimalpa de Morelos ,and the character of the territory was consolidated, with the purchase by the neighbors, of the lands that make up the residential areas of Las Lomas. Cuajimalpa was considered as a town until 1928, since as of January 1, 1929 it became a delegation of Mexico city.
The Asociacion de Colonos de Santa Fe or management group of Santa Fé ; La Asociación de Colonos de Santa Fe http://colonossantafe.com/colonos/mision-vision-y-objetivo/
The town of Cuajamilpa de Morelos on its history : https://www.cuajimalpa.cdmx.gob.mx/acerca-de/
The Mexico City tourist office on Santa Fe and Cuajimalpa zones : https://mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx/locations/santa-fe-cuajimalpa/
The Mexico tourist office on Mexico City : https://visitmexico.com/eng/cdmx-2
There you go a wonderful tour of two off the beaten path areas of Mexico City; you do better to come here by car, once in the location walking around is magical and allows you to see the architecture styles of this great metropolis. Again, hope you enjoy this unique area of Santa Fe and Cuajimalpa in Mexico City as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 