Centro Cultural Iztapalapa

The Centro Cultural Iztapalapa is a main neighborhood meeting place and cultural center for the Unidad Habitacional Vicente Guerrero. Once one of the biggest housing developments in Latin America, the building went up as a movie theater after the opening of the complex in 1972.

That opening was attended not just by then-President Luis Echeverría, but he was accompanied by Salvador Allende, the President of Chile. This gave the UH Vicente Guerrero a lot historical clout. The “seven superblocks” of the development supported their own commercial cinema here from 1978 until 1992. But as the neighborhood’s fortunes declined, it then stood, gaunt and empty, for some eight years.

In 1999, the old “Kine-Circular” re-opened as a cultural center. But a few years on, it was already known especially for hosting the “Cine-Club.” These couple of names may even still be more commonly heard than “Centro Cultural Iztapalapa.” Essentially, it operated as a non-profit movie screening community who would screen whatever movies they thought would attract an audience.

But the center also hosts exhibitions, a book club, and workshops in guitar, ballroom dancing, pottery, photography, and similar especially artistic events. The 800-seat auditorium also stages live performances and concerts. When this is too small, the esplanade out front has hosted another 1,500 people.

The centro remains a major cultural player in Iztapalapa, and one of the most recognized.