Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca

The Palace of Cortés (Spanish: Palacio de Cortés) in Cuernavaca, Mexico, built between 1523 and 1528, is the oldest conserved virreinal-era civil structure in the continental Americas. The architecture is a blend between Gothic and Mudéjar, typical of the early 16th century colonial architecture. The building began as a fortified residence for conqueror Hernán Cortés and his aristocratic second wife, Doña Juana Zúñiga. It was built in 1526, over a Tlahuica Aztec tribute collection center, which was destroyed by the Spanish during the Conquest. Cortés replaced it with a personal residence to assert authority over the newly conquered peoples. As Cortés's residence, it reached its height in the 1530s, but the family eventually abandoned it due to on-going legal troubles. In the 18th century, virreinal authorities had the structure renovated and used it as a barracks and jail. During the Mexican War of Independence, it held prisoners such as José María Morelos y Pavón. After the war, it became the seat of government for the state of Morelos until the late 20th century, when the state government moved out and the structure was renovated and converted into the Museo Regional Cuauhnahuac, or regional museum, with exhibited on the history of Morelos. After suffering severe damage caused by the 2017 Puebla earthquake, it remained closed for restoration work until March 30, 2023, when it reopened as the Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, or Regional Museum of the People’s of Morelos (MRPM).