Twenty-eight majestic archways form a grand archway that welcomes you into the Plaza de la Constitucion, also in the city center. The government palace is on the North side of the Plaza, and inside you see the brilliant murals done by Tlaxcala’s own Desiderio Hernandez Xochitiotzin. The murals depict a historical narration of the state’s history, from the pre-Hispanic period to the present.
Take in an infusion of Tlaxcala’s history and geography from the walls of the government palace. Across the walls are the stories of brave warriors who maintained their independence from the greedy Mexicas, despite desperately needing salt and sugar during their ordinary lives. The paintings go on to show the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores and the desperate peace accords and military pacts they would make with the people of Tlaxcala, who sought aid from their traditional enemies.
The “Plaza de Armas” is also the “nightlife” district where some more traditional bars and restaurants established their venues. Here you see more examples of colonial Spain’s influence on this city. Fine examples of baroque and Churrigueresque styles of architecture abound. On the other side of the square stands the Parish of San Jose, erected in the 17th and 18th centuries. To one side of the Parish is the majestic Palace of Justice, initially built to be a chapel, the first chapel to be constructed on the American continent.
Right next door to the oldest Plaza de Toros in all of Mexico you will find the the Ex Convento de San Francisco de Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion. This extraordinary work of colonial construction boasts an austere façade that shelters elaborately crafted woodwork that runs all the way to the ceiling. The façade is of a style exclusive to the renaissance. Once inside, gaze up at a Mudejar sky and an interior chapel lavishly decorated with paintings and altarpieces. At one end of the atrium, another open chapel was built with an unmistakable gothic style.
