Xochipilli Fountain

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The Xochipilli Fountain is the 1964 work of architect Leónides Guadarrama. The fountain was constructed with reference to the nationalist Mexican architecture of the early 20th century. All the details are inspired by Tenochca architecture and essential elements of their vision of the cosmos. The work was fully restored and rehabilitated by the Bosque de Chapultepec trust in 2015.

The fountain is on the Paseo de los Compositores, the most important internal axis street within the Second Section of the Chapultepec Park. The street itself is lined with portrait busts of Mexican compsers. This fountain, though, was intended as an homage to the “Prince of Flowers.” Xochipilli in the Mexica world-view, was the Prince of Flowers, and the god of music, dance, and love. The fountain is therefore surrounded by trees and benches.

Among the best-known representations of Xochipilli is a sculpture in the National Museum of Anthropology and History. A 1.2 meters high, Xochipilli is seated on a drum or a short platform. The seat is adorned with butterflies, flowers, and the four-dot symbols for the sun. He wears a mask and the figure itself is adorned in the flowers of psychotropic plants and hallucinogenic mushrooms.

The Eagle Knights protruding from the side walls of the fountain refer to the legendary forces of the Mexica and Tenochtitlan armies. The 165 fountains within the work will emit water up to 20 meters into the air. The experience is complemented at night by electric lights.

The 2015 rehabilitation of the giant fountain, really an area of the park, helped to solidify the reputation of Section 2 of the park overall. It’s guaranteed to be much less crowded. Plus the sites and attractions (we’ve listed them all here) are a bit less blockbuster. Your visit is sure to be as tranquil and hectic-free as a day at the park should be.

Cited on this page:

Jarvis, Dennis. “Xochipilli.” World History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 06, 2013. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/1419/xochipilli/