Casa del Mayorazgo de Fagoaga

The Casa del Mayorazgo de Fagoaga is an 18th century private home in San Ángel. The estate of the house included most of the buildings along the street of Amargura down to the end at the present day Mercado del Carmen building. The home is named for the heir to the property, Francisco de Fagoaga. He was a head of the Casa de Moneda, that is, the silver mint in his day. His acquisition of the property was in tune with the trend of the very wealthy moving to adjacent towns like San Ángel.

• The term “Mayorazgo” comes from the French term Majorat.  It refers to an estate arrangement that gives the right of succession of a specific property to a single male heir. The law was intended to prevent larger estates from being subdivided. The use of such arrangements was abolished in Europe in 1848.

The home was later inhabited by the Archbishop, Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta. The estate was later divided into no fewer than six different homes along the street. The Casa del Mayorazgo de Fagoaga still sets the tone for the whole neighborhood, though. It’s a tone that’s particularly treasured by residents. But it’s also what makes the neighborhood one of the great walking neighborhoods in the city. That brings in people from all over.