“How grand is this?”, I ask, my voice barely a whisper amidst the city’s vibrant hum. We’re standing before the Edificio AH, a building that’s more than just bricks and mortar. It’s the old Customs Authority Building. Today, it’s part of the Federal Secretary of Education complex.
The Edificio AH takes up the east side of the entire south of the Plaza de Santo Domingo. It’s a massive structure. From the plaza, you might not realize it’s connected to the Federal Secretary of Education. They occupy the whole block. It began with the old Convent of the Incarnation behind the Old Customs Building.
Back in 1574, the Real Aduana de México was founded. A tax system was needed to support the Spanish Empire. The first headquarters was on 5 de Febrero street for a century. In 1676, several houses of the Marquesa de Villamayor became customs offices. These were northwest of the current building. In 1688, they were bought for expansion.
In 1727, the customs office bought Francisco de Oñate y Azoca’s old estate next to the Marquesa de Villamayor’s houses. Construction began in 1729. The goal was to unite all buildings on the south of the plaza. Pedro de Arrieta, the esteemed architect, led the project. He finished the southern half by June 1734. In the 18th century, the ground floor stored imported goods awaiting customs clearance. By 1777, the Edificio AH expanded north to the Palace of the Inquisition. This involved buying houses from the Convent of the Incarnation. The building remained part of the Federal Government throughout the 19th century.
From 1921, the Federal Secretariat of Public Education took over the Edificio AH. They still use it today. The transformation included the former Convent of La Encarnación. The Secretariat annexed the Royal Customs House and other houses. It eventually occupied the entire block.
The Edificio AH is famous for David Alfaro Siqueiros’ mural, Patricios y Patricidas. He worked on it from 1945 to 1971. The mural depicts constant ideological struggles that repeat throughout history. The building acts as an extension of the SEP Museum. The entrance is at the main SEP building.
Don’t miss Fray Bernardino de Sahagún and His Rescue of the History of Mexican Culture by José Chávez Morado. It honors Sahagún’s work at the Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco. Also, see the anonymous Allegory of the Development of Communication. It’s from the 1890s, when the Ministry of Communications occupied offices here. The ceiling includes masks and medallions alluding to the arts and technology. The ministry moved to the Palace of Communications in 1911. Finally, there’s Manuel Felguérez’s Equation in Steel. This commemorates the Bicentennial of the Independence of Mexico and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution. It reflects on mathematics as the basis of knowledge.
As you explore the Edificio AH, remember its long journey. From a customs house to a center of education and art, it reflects Mexico City’s evolving story. Its walls hold centuries of history. The Edificio AH is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a place where the past and present intertwine.