Torre Latinoamericana: The Best Views in Mexico City

When visiting a new city, one of the first things I like to do is find an observatory with a view. Torre Latinoamericana might not be Mexico City’s tallest skyscraper anymore, but it does offer some of the best views of the Mexican capital. Located on the edge of the relatively low-lying Centro Historico, the views from Torre Latinoamericana’s 44th floor vantage point are unmatched. Its the perfect place to watch the sunset over Mexico City, and was actually how I spent my first evening in the city. I recommend visiting the tower about an hour before sunset so that you can see Mexico City by day and night. I was rather impressed that there was more to do in Torre Latinoamericana than just take in the views though. In this post I’ll let you know everything you can expect.

• I’ve written a guide to spending 3 days in Mexico City, filled with the best attractions the city has to offer. Check it out HERE.

Torre Latinoamericana – The Basics

• Where? Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 2, Centro Historico de la Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico.
• When? Torre Latinoamericana is open daily from 9.00am to 10.00pm.
• How much? General admission to the Torre Latinoamericana costs $180 MXN for adults (12 years and over). Children from 4 to 11 years old get in for $140 MXN. Note that general admission does not include entrance to the Museo del Bicentenario.
• How to get there: Torre Latinoamericana is an easy walk from anywhere in the Centro Historico. Make your way to the Palacio de Bellas Artes and you’ll see skyscraper entrance just across the road.
• Website: https://www.miradorlatino.com/

About Torre Latinoamericana

At the time of its completion, Torre Latinoamericana was the tallest building in Mexico City. The tower was originally built to house La Latinoamericana Seguros insurance company. Originally occupying a smaller office building on the site of the old Convent of San Francisco, the company’s headquarters were demolished in 1947 to make way for a tower that would signify the company’s importance, as well as the overall growth of Mexico. The tower was initially only going to have 27 floors, but subsoil research programs revealed that a 40 plus storey tower would be possible, and so the project commenced. By 1956, the tower was complete, standing some 183 metres in height. The insurance company moved into the 4th to 8th floors, while the rest of the building was rented out.

Upon being completed, Torre Latinoamericana was the tallest building in Latin America, and the 45th tallest in the world. Its been passed multiple times in both categories, however it remains significant for being the first major skyscraper built in an active seismic zone. This was achieved through concrete piles embedded deep into the subsoil forming its foundations. While common practice today, it was innovative engineering for the time.

The tower’s stability was put to the test only a year after completion when Mexico City was rocked by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake on July 28, 1957. It survived unscathed, resulting in the tower’s recognition by the American Institute of Steel Construction, commendations which endure in the form of plaques in the lobby today. The tower went on to withstand the 8.1 magnitude quake of September 19, 1985 (which lasted two whole minutes and caused significant damage throughout the city). Today, Torre Latinoamerica is regarded one of the safest buildings in Mexico City as a result of all it has survived.

Views from Torre Latinoamericana

You’ll enter Torre Latinoamericana from the street level. While there are skip the line tickets available on the official website, at the time of my visit you couldn’t purchase them with foreign credit cards. If thats still the case when you visit Mexico, you’ll have to queue up at the bottom to purchase your tickets. I got to the tower entrance just before 7.00pm, and I’d say I waited about 20 minutes to get to the front of the line. In the waiting area, there’s a display showing other skyscrapers and observatories around the world. Once you’ve got your ticket, you’ll be guided into an elevator and whisked up to the Torre Latinoamericana’s 37th floor.

On the 37th floor, you’ll wait for a second elevator to take you further up into the main observatory area. The observatory consists of an indoor double storey section (42nd and 43rd floor), with a spiral staircase leading up to the open air 44th floor terrace. Getting up on the 44th floor, standing underneath the tower’s antenna and looking out across the city is an unforgettable experience (if a bit windy). It really helped orientate myself in Mexico City as I could see across the entire city as evening rolled along. You can see all the city’s landmarks from the observation deck, ranging from the Centro Historico to the east to Bosque de Chapultepec at the end of Reforma to the west. You can even see the volcanic mountains such as Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl on the horizon.

As great as it is to be in the open air, I think the indoor levels are better for taking photos. Instead of metal grating obscuring your shots, you’ll have clear glass windows looking out across the city.

Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico

When you can pull yourself away from the views, you might be surprised that there’s actually two historical exhibits in Torre Latinoamericana. Entry to the first of these is even included with your admission. Located on the tower’s 38th floor, the Museo de la Ciudad de Mexico tells the story of the history of the Torre Latinoamericana site (and Mexico City in general). While there’s definitely better museums in the city, this is an excellent way to fill in time at the attraction, while learning about the city’s past. The content is primarily conveyed through photos, though there are a few models through the space as well, including a scale model of the actual tower.

Signage throughout the exhibit is only in Spanish, so its worth reading up on Mexico City’s history before your visit. That said, you’ll get the general gist from the visual displays if you only speak English. The exhibit space is broken up across 4 periods. The first section looks at the site prior to Spanish colonisation in 1522. Initially, the zoo of the Aztec king Moctezuma II occupied this space in the pre-Columbian city of Tenochtitlan. You’ll see images of the old city, as well as a few stone utensils that were buried and subsequently found in the tower excavation effort.

Following the arrival of Cortez, the Convent of San Francisco was built on the old zoo’s remnants and became the largest such convent in New Spain. The monastery was late demolished at the decree of President Comonfort on 17 September 1856 in order to open up Independence Street. The Franciscan Order was abolished shortly afterwards and the site saw various occupants prior to the insurance company’s arrival in 1930. Other landmarks of the period are also detailed in this section.

The final part of the exhibit space focuses on the tower itself. There’s displays following its construction and the technology used. You can even see an original elevator pulley up close. There’s also information dedicated to the impact earthquakes have had on the surrounding area and the enduring legacy of Torre Latinoamericana.

Museo del Bicentenario

The second exhibition is on the tower’s 36th floor, and this one costs extra (an additional $80 MXN at the time of writing). Considering how affordable that is, upgrading my ticket to include the Museo del Bicentenario was a no-brainer for me. This exhibition goes bigger picture and focuses on the history of Mexico itself. All the key moments of the Spanish Empire, Struggle for Independence and Mexican Revolution are chronicled (though again, signage is mostly in Spanish only). The collection on display is significant for containing numerous unknown and unpublished documents from key figures throughout Mexican history.

While I couldn’t read much of the signage, I thought this was an interesting crash course in the nation’s history, which was perfect for me considering it was my first night in the capital. I was particularly fascinated by the map of the Mexican empire, extending its reach into Texas, California and the south-western of America. At the time, Mexico was the third largest territory in the world (behind the Russian and Chinese empires).

I was also interested by the display focusing on Portifiro Diaz. This dictator ruled Mexico for a 31 period known as the Porfiriato. Despite doing much to modernise the country and keeping Mexico politically stable, his crack down on dissent and wealth accumulation by the richest under his watch were instrumental in starting the Mexican Revolution. The ensuing ten year period of instability following his resignation ultimately ushered in Mexico’s modern constitutional democracy.

Other Facilities in Torre Latinoamericana

In addition to the observation deck and historical exhibits, the Torre Latinoamericana contains all the amenities you’d expect for this kind of attraction. The 37th floor hub (which is also where you’ll take the elevator back down to exit the building) contains a cafe and gift shop. If you make your way to the tower’s 40th floor, you’ll come to the Nivel 40 Skybar. Its an excellent place to sit back, take in the view and enjoy a margarita or two. It also has the bathrooms with the best view in all of Mexico City, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself! If you just want to come to the bar, you can skip general admission, but you won’t be able to visit the rest of the building if you choose that option. Naturally, a minimum spend applies.

The tower also contains a restaurant on the 41st floor called Miralto. I didn’t eat here, but from what I have been told, its a fairly expensive dining option. Considering how much authentic Mexican cuisine you can find in the streets of the Centro Historico below, I personally wouldn’t eat here, but let me know if you’ve enjoyed it!

I was worried before heading up Torre Latinoamericana that I was going to run out of things to do while waiting for the sun to go down. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. This observation deck is an excellent spot to take in Mexico City from above, and I’d personally recommend it on your first night in the city if possible. I truly think its the place to come for the best views in all of Mexico City, while also learning a bit about the city. With that said, if you know of any other places offering great panoramic vistas of the Mexican capital, let me know!