Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca

The Palace of Cortés is the oldest surviving colonial-era civil building on the American mainland, a fortified residence begun in the 1520s for the conquistador Hernán Cortés. Standing over the ruins of a pre-Hispanic settlement in central Cuernavaca, it now houses a regional museum of the state of Morelos.

Its architecture reflects a turbulent age. Built partly atop an Aztec-era tribute center, the two-story stone structure combines a defensive medieval character with early colonial forms, its arched loggias looking out over the valley. Over the centuries it served as a residence, a prison and a government building before becoming a museum.

The palace is celebrated for its Diego Rivera mural. Along an open upper gallery, Rivera painted a sweeping history of Morelos from the conquest through the revolution, culminating in the figure of the local hero Emiliano Zapata. Commissioned in the 1920s and funded by a former United States ambassador, it is among the muralist's important early public works and a highlight of any visit.

Inside, the museum traces the region's long story, from archaeological finds of the peoples who lived here before the Spanish to the colonial and revolutionary periods, with the excavated pre-Hispanic remains visible beneath the building. The palace sits on Cuernavaca's central plaza, a short walk from the cathedral, making the two easy to combine. The city lies about ninety minutes from Mexico City, and entry to the museum is modest. Allow an hour or two to take in the galleries and the Rivera mural, and step onto the loggia for views across the valley. The dry, temperate months from November to April are the most comfortable for exploring the palace and the surrounding colonial center.