Alameda Central

The oldest public park in the Americas, this rectangular green just west of the historic center dates to the late sixteenth century, when a marshy area was drained and planted with poplar trees that gave it its name. Formal fountains, marble statues and tree-lined paths make it a favored place to stroll, and the white marble Hemiciclo a Juárez monument stands along its southern edge. Once a place of Inquisition executions, it later became a fashionable promenade. Today families, vendors and office workers fill its shaded walks daily.