Jardín Centenario

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The Jardín Centenario is the park at the very center of the Centro de Coyoacán. For centuries, it was the atrium of the San Juan Bautista church and monastery. This is noted in the gates at the entrance to the former atrium, which are at the head of what is today the Avenida Francisco Sosa. This was once known as the San Ángel Road, for it ran directly to San Ángel.

• Notice the distinctly indigenous style to the carvings on the two side columns of the gates. These date from the earliest years of the monastery.

The park is today far better known for the fountain of the coyotes by sculptor Gabriel Ponzanelli (1942-2019). This is particularly lively, and has come to serve as a self-identifying symbol for the entire community. Ponzanelli also created the three bronze sculptures in the Parque Frida Kahlo just a few blocks away.

The Jardín Centenario opened under its new name in commemoration of the first 100 years of Mexican independence. This was under the presidency of Porfirio Díaz in 1910. Since then, it’s grown to be essentially the meeting place, if not the the very heart and soul of Coyoacán. We’ve put together a guide to the rest of the sites and attractions in and around the Centro de Coyoacán. You can read that here.

The Turibus Coyoacán South Circuit is named for the Coyoacán Historic Center. It stops on BOTH the Southwest corner (southbound) of the park at the corner of Calle Tres Cruces, and on the other side of the park (northbound). Northbound Turibus will stop nearly in front of the San Juan Bautista Church on the Calle Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

The Capital Bus Center-South Route makes nearly the same stops. The important difference is that Capital Buses stop to the west of the Jardín Centenario and to the east of the Plaza Hidalgo. (You may see them passing directly between the two plazas but they won’t stop here.)