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99-623: Used and classified as a government building, the National Palace, with its red tezontle facade, fills the entire east side of the Zócalo, measuring over 200 metres (660 ft) long. It is home to some of the offices of both the Federal Treasury and the National Archives . The facade is bordered on the north and south by two towers and includes three main doorways, each of which lead to

198-549: A triptych with each being somewhat autonomous. The right-hand wall contains murals depicting pre-Hispanic Mexico and centers around the life of the Aztec god Quetzalcóatl . Quetzalcóatl appears in the mural as a star, a god, and a human being. Created by serpents, he sails through space as a star that accompanies the sun at night. Quetzalcóatl then assumes a human body to teach the Aztec people as their king and patriarch. Last, when he sacrifices his blood to give life to men, he returns to

297-490: A boy, quitting school at the age of 11. At the age of 16, Vanderbilt decided to start his own ferry service. According to one version of events, he borrowed $ 100 (equivalent to $ 1,900 in 2023) from his mother to purchase a periauger (a shallow draft, two-masted sailing vessel), which he christened the Swiftsure. However, according to the first account of his life, published in 1853, the periauger belonged to his father and

396-698: A church for his second wife's congregation, the Church of the Strangers. In addition, he donated to churches around New York, including a gift to the Moravian Church on Staten Island of 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 acres (3 hectares) for a cemetery (the Moravian Cemetery ). He chose to be buried there. Cornelius Vanderbilt died on January 4, 1877, at his residence, No. 10 Washington Place, after being confined to his rooms for about eight months. The immediate cause of his death

495-545: A cousin from Mobile, Alabama , with the name — unusual for a woman — of Frank Armstrong Crawford . Vanderbilt's second wife convinced him to give $ 1 million ($ 22,890,000 in 2023 dollars ), the largest charitable gift in American history to that date, to Bishop Holland Nimmons McTyeire , the husband of her cousin, Amelia Townsend, to found Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, named in his honor. He also paid $ 50,000 for

594-728: A different part of the building. The southern door leads to the Patio of Honor and presidential offices (no public access). The northern door is known as the Mariana Door, named in honor of Mariano Arista who had it constructed in 1850. The area next to this door used to be the old Court Prison, with courtrooms and torture chambers. It is now occupied by the Finance Ministry. It contains the Treasury Room, constructed by architects Manuel Ortiz Monasterio and Vicente Mendiola. The iron and bronze door

693-606: A ferry entrepreneur named Thomas Gibbons asked Vanderbilt to captain his steamboat between New Jersey and New York. Although Vanderbilt kept his own businesses running, he became Gibbons's business manager. When Vanderbilt entered his new position, Gibbons was fighting against a steamboat monopoly in New York waters, which had been granted by the New York State Legislature to the politically influential patrician Robert Livingston and Robert Fulton , who had designed

792-592: A garden for the use of the viceroy and his court. The north door led to a small patio in which was located the jail and the guards' quarters. When the Royal Botanical Expedition to New Spain was at work in Mexico (1787-1803), the establishment of the Royal Botanical Garden on the model of that in the imperial capital of Madrid was an essential mandate of the enterprise. The viceregal palace itself became

891-601: A grievous loss when George Washington Vanderbilt II, his youngest and favorite son, and heir apparent , a graduate of the United States Military Academy , fell ill and died without ever seeing combat. Though Vanderbilt had relinquished his presidency of the Stonington Railroad during the California gold rush, he took an interest in several railroads during the 1850s, serving on the boards of directors of

990-408: A key advantage: it was the only steam railroad to enter the center of Manhattan, running down 4th Avenue (later Park Avenue ) to a station on 26th Street, where it connected with a horse-drawn streetcar line. From Manhattan it ran up to Chatham Four Corners , New York, where it had a connection to the railroads running east and west. Vanderbilt brought his eldest son, Billy, in as vice-president of

1089-521: A landmark legal case— Gibbons v. Ogden —to the United States Supreme Court to overturn the monopoly. Working for Gibbons, Vanderbilt learned to operate a large and complicated business. He moved with his family to New Brunswick, New Jersey , a stop on Gibbons' line between New York and Philadelphia . There his wife Sophia operated a very profitable inn, using the proceeds to feed, clothe and educate their children. Vanderbilt also proved

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1188-938: A member of the Moravian Church to his death. Along with other members of the Vanderbilt family, he helped erect a local Moravian parish church in his city. On December 19, 1813, at age 19 Vanderbilt married his first cousin, Sophia Johnson. They moved into a boarding house on Broad Street in Manhattan. They had 13 children together: Phebe in 1814, Ethelinda in 1817, Eliza in 1819, William in 1821, Emily in 1823, Sophia in 1825, Maria in 1827, Frances in 1828, Cornelius Jeremiah in 1830, George in 1832 (who died in 1836), Mary in 1834, Catherine in 1836, and another son named George in 1839. In addition to running his ferry, Vanderbilt bought his brother-in-law John De Forest's schooner Charlotte and traded in food and merchandise in partnership with his father and others. But on November 24, 1817,

1287-678: A museum to the centennial. A statue of Benito Juárez was placed in the north wing near his old quarters. This statue was made with bronze from the cannons of the Conservative Army during the Reform War and from French projectiles from the Battle of Puebla . This caused the Palace to give it the appearance it has today. All the viceroys that ruled New Spain during the colonial period lived in this residence except for Antonio de Mendoza and Juan O’Donojú ,

1386-593: A quick study in legal matters, representing Gibbons in meetings with lawyers. He also went to Washington, D.C., to hire Daniel Webster to argue the case before the Supreme Court. Vanderbilt appealed his own case against the monopoly to the Supreme Court, which was next on the docket after Gibbons v. Ogden . The Court never heard Vanderbilt's case, because on March 2, 1824, it ruled in Gibbons' favor, saying that states had no power to interfere with interstate commerce. The case

1485-467: A rascal, combative and cunning, he was much more a builder than a wrecker [...] being honorable, shrewd, and hard-working." Cornelius Vanderbilt's great-great-great-grandfather, Jan Aertson or Aertszoon ("Aert's son"), was a Dutch farmer from the village of De Bilt in Utrecht , Netherlands, who emigrated to New Amsterdam (later New York) as an indentured servant in 1650. The Dutch van der ("of the")

1584-569: A site of the botanical garden, with excavations of the original site done so that fertile soil could be substituted. The palace essentially remained unchanged until after independence in the 1830s. Many of Mexico's leaders after independence made changes to the Viceroy Palace, including renaming it the "National Palace". Mexico's first ministries were installed such as the Ministry of Hacienda (internal revenue), Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, and

1683-404: A third being built after 1554 and a fourth sometime after that. Its garden was extensive, occupying much of the south and southwest portions of the property up to what is now Correo Mayor Street. The palace has living quarters, offices, two audience rooms, and a tower for gunpowder. A secondary building behind the main one has nineteen windows spanning its façade. It also had a parapet , above which

1782-424: A year and was ultimately won outright by Billy, who increased the bequests to his siblings and paid their legal fees. One of Vanderbilt's great-great-granddaughters, Gloria Vanderbilt , was a renowned fashion designer, and her youngest son, Anderson Cooper , is a television news anchor. Through Billy's daughter Emily Thorn Vanderbilt , another descendant is actor Timothy Olyphant . Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt

1881-549: Is Spanish in origin and symbolized the transplanting of Spanish civilization to the New World. It is immobile in the sense that since Aztec times, this has been the seat of earthly political power, first as the palaces of the Aztec tlatoani , then of the Spanish viceroys, then of Mexican heads of state. Only until very recently, those who held power over Mexico lived here as well as asserted their authority. The building itself represents

1980-585: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to petrology is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This volcanology article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cornelius Vanderbilt Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 – January 4, 1877), nicknamed " the Commodore ", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. After working with his father's business, Vanderbilt worked his way into leadership positions in

2079-522: Is normally granted to tangible objects, requires the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit to provide permanent food and care for them in their lifetimes. One cat, Zeus, became famous for appearing on-camera during a press conference by López Obrador in 2023. Tezontle Tezontle ( Spanish : tezontle ) is a porous , highly oxidized, volcanic rock used extensively in construction in Mexico . It

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2178-409: Is not only a place but also a destination where friends of the country can be welcomed. Feral cats have been recorded to have been inhabiting the palace gardens since the 1970s, with 19 cats in residence as of 2024. In April that same year, President Andres Manuel López Obrador declared the cats to be “living fixed assets,” the first time animals in Mexico have been awarded the title. The measure, which

2277-473: Is still considered a landmark ruling. The protection of competitive interstate commerce is considered the basis for much of the prosperity which the United States has generated. After Thomas Gibbons died in 1826, Vanderbilt worked for Gibbons' son William until 1829. Though he had always run his own businesses on the side, he now worked entirely for himself. Step by step, he started lines between New York and

2376-500: Is the work of Augusto Petriccioli. Above the central doorway, facing the Zócalo, is the main balcony where just before 11pm on September 15, the president of Mexico gives the Grito de Dolores , in a ceremony to commemorate Mexican Independence . Part of this ceremony includes ringing the bell that hangs above the balcony. This bell is the original one that Father Miguel Hidalgo rang to call for rebellion against Spain. It originally hung in

2475-474: Is usually reddish in color due to iron oxide. Tezontle is a well-cemented, agglomeritic and scoriaceous rock. Tezontle can be mixed with concrete to form lightweight concrete blocks, or mixed with cement to create stucco finishes. Many colonial buildings in Mexico use the reddish cut tezontle on their facades. Tezontle is a common construction material in the Historic Center of Mexico City as

2574-1060: The Vanderbilt , to the Union Navy . Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles refused it, thinking its operation and maintenance too expensive for what he expected to be a short war. Vanderbilt had little choice but to lease it to the War Department, at prices set by ship brokers. When the Confederate ironclad Virginia (popularly known in the North as the Merrimack ) wrought havoc with the Union blockading squadron at Hampton Roads, Virginia , Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and President Abraham Lincoln called on Vanderbilt for help. This time he succeeded in donating

2673-719: The Erie Railway , the Central Railroad of New Jersey , the Hartford and New Haven , and the New York and Harlem (popularly known as the Harlem). In 1863, Vanderbilt took control of the Harlem in a famous stockmarket corner , and was elected its president. He later explained that he wanted to show that he could take this railroad, which was generally considered worthless, and make it valuable. It had

2772-545: The New York Central and Hudson River Railroad , one of the first giant corporations in United States history. In 1869, Vanderbilt directed the Harlem to begin construction of the Grand Central Depot on 42nd Street in Manhattan. It was finished in 1871, and served as his lines' terminus in New York. He sank the tracks on 4th Avenue in a cut that later became a tunnel, and 4th Avenue became Park Avenue. The depot

2871-572: The Stonington . By cutting fares on competing lines, Vanderbilt drove down the Stonington stock price, and took over the presidency of the company in 1847. It was the first of the many railroads he would head. During these years, Vanderbilt also operated many other businesses. He bought large amounts of real estate in Manhattan and Staten Island, and took over the Staten Island Ferry in 1838. It

2970-644: The Vanderbilt to the Union Navy, equipping it with a ram and staffing it with handpicked officers. It helped bottle up the Virginia, after which Vanderbilt converted it into a cruiser to hunt for the Confederate commerce raider Alabama , captained by Raphael Semmes . For donating the Vanderbilt, he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal . Vanderbilt also paid to outfit a major expedition to New Orleans . He suffered

3069-462: The balustrade of this area has been remodeled, conserving the murals by Diego Rivera that adorn the main stairwell and the walls of the second floor. In the stairwell is a mural depicting the history of Mexico from 1521 to 1930, and covers an area of 450 m (4800 ft). These murals were painted between 1929 and 1935, jointly titled "The Epic of the Mexican People". The work is divided like

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3168-425: The "spirits"—during a point in the session when said spiritualist would fall into a "trance" in the Commodore's presence—claimed William would be the most trustworthy to inherit the estate and business and that his other children actually hated him and were just waiting for him to die. A "spirit", during this session, came in the form of William's deceased mother, Sophia. Not wanting to risk further public humiliation of

3267-682: The Aztec tlatoani 's residence and performed a number of official functions as well. The building was divided into two sections and decorated with marble and painted stucco . The main façade contained the shield of the monarchy, an eagle with a snake in its claws. It has three patios surrounded by porticos , indoor sanitary facilities, fountains and gardens. The bedrooms had tapestries of cotton, feathers and rabbit fur painted in bright colors. The floors were of polished stucco and covered in animal furs and finely-woven mats. There were rooms for servants, administrative staff, and military guards, along with kitchens, pantries and storage rooms. The richness of

3366-612: The Cortés palace features. It was known as the Palacio del Virrey (Palace of the Viceroy) or Casa Real de los Virreyes ( Royal House of the Viceroys). Italian Capuchin friar Ilarione da Bergamo included a description of the viceregal palace in his travel narrative. He notes that the building is not just the residence of the viceroy and his family, but also has a number of government offices including

3465-774: The Grand Courtyard beyond the central portal, are open to the public. The National Palace also houses the main State Archives, with many historical documents, and the Biblioteca Miguel Lerdo de Tejada , one of the largest and most important libraries in the country. On north annex of the building is the Treasury Room and the Benito Juárez Museum. Between the two is the Empress Stairway, built by brothers Juan and Ramón Agea. When faced with claims that their work

3564-516: The Harlem. Billy had had a nervous breakdown early in life, and his father had sent him to a farm on Staten Island. But he proved himself a good businessman, and eventually became the head of the Staten Island Railway . Though the Commodore had once scorned Billy, he was impressed by his son's success. Eventually he promoted him to operational manager of all his railroad lines. In 1864, the Commodore sold his last ships, in order to concentrate on

3663-468: The Mexican people as a blending of both Spanish and Aztec. The old palace was destroyed to make way for the new, but both were built of the very same stone. According to Zedillo, this represents something that is not quite Aztec, but not quite Spanish either, much like the country itself. These same stones were present during all of Mexico's major historical events and had seen foreign flags fly above them. On

3762-500: The Ministry of Internal and External Relations, as well as the Supreme Court. During an uprising led by Valentín Gómez Farías against then-president Anastasio Bustamante , the southwest balustrade was seriously damaged during a siege lasting twelve days. In 1845, the old Chambers of Deputies was constructed, with the Senate on the upper floor of the south wing. In 1850, Mariano Arista had the old north prison door cemented shut and constructed

3861-519: The New York Central Railroad. To his younger surviving son, Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt, whom he regarded as a wastrel, he left the income from a $ 200,000 trust fund. (Although his daughters and Cornelius received bequests much smaller than those of their brother William, these made them very wealthy by the standards of 1877 and were not subject to inheritance tax .) Vanderbilt's biographer T. J. Stiles says, "He vastly improved and expanded

3960-443: The Patio of Honor. During this work, the old column bases of the Viceroy Palace were found, two of which were restored where they were found. They also found old cedar rafters with their brackets, which were used to form the foundation of the first floor. Recently, excavations in and next to the National Palace have unearthed parts of Moctezuma 's "New Houses", the name of the palaces that Hernán Cortés razed to build what has become

4059-456: The United States. Walker was forced to give up, and was driven out of the country by a U.S. Navy officer. But the new Nicaraguan government refused to allow Vanderbilt to restart the transit business, so he started a line by way of Panama, eventually developing a monopoly on the California steamship business. When the Civil War began in 1861, Vanderbilt attempted to donate his largest steamship,

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4158-538: The buildings on it were claimed by Hernán Cortés , who had architects Rodrigo de Pontocillos and Juan Rodríguez rebuild the palace while Cortés lived in the "Old Houses" (now the Nacional Monte de Piedad building) across the plaza from 1521 to 1530. Cortés's palace was a massive fortress with embrasures for cannon at the corners and the mezzanine had crenels for musketeers . The façade had only two doors with arches (medio punto). Inside there were two patios, with

4257-674: The canal, but he did start a steamship line to Nicaragua, and founded the Accessory Transit Company to carry passengers across Nicaragua by steamboat on the lake and river, with a 12-mile (19-kilometer) carriage road between the Pacific port of San Juan del Sur and Virgin Bay on Lake Nicaragua . In 1852, a dispute with Joseph L. White , a partner in the Accessory Transit Company, led to a business battle in which Vanderbilt forced

4356-414: The church of Dolores Hidalgo , Guanajuato , but was relocated here. In the niche containing the bell, there is the Mexican coat of arms . On each side there is an Aztec eagle knight and his Spanish counterpart. These were sculpted by Manuel Centurion and symbolize the synthesis of Mexican culture and Spanish culture. The central door leads to the main patio which is surrounded by Baroque arches. Only

4455-535: The company just before these developments were announced. When he tried to convince the U.S. and English governments to help restore the company to its rights and property, they refused. So he negotiated with Costa Rica , which (along with the other Central American republics) had declared war on Walker. Vanderbilt sent a man to Costa Rica who led a raid that captured the steamboats on the San Juan River, cutting Walker off from his reinforcements from insurgent groups in

4554-614: The company to buy his ships for an inflated price. In early 1853, he took his family on a grand tour of Europe in his steamship yacht, the North Star. While he was away, White conspired with Charles Morgan, Vanderbilt's erstwhile ally, to betray him, and deny him money he was owed by the Accessory Transit Company. When Vanderbilt returned from Europe, he retaliated by developing a rival steamship line to California, cutting prices until he forced Morgan and White to pay him off. He then turned to transatlantic steamship lines, running in opposition to

4653-635: The country in particular. Diego also painted 11 panels on the middle floor, such as the "Tianguis of Tlatelolco" (tianguis means "market"), and the "Arrival of Hernán Cortés in Veracruz". These are part of a series depicting the pre-Hispanic era. Peoples such as the Tarascos of Michoacán , the Zapotecs and Mixtecs of Oaxaca and the Huastecs of Hidalgo , San Luis Potosí and Veracruz . However, this series

4752-548: The current edifice. Parts of a wall and a basalt floor were found during recent renovations on the building that now houses the Museum of Culture, which adjoins the Palace on its north side. The wall and floor are believed to be part of Casa Denegrida, or the Black House, which Spanish conquerors described as a windowless room painted in black. In here, Moctezuma would meditate on what he was told by professional seers and shamans . It

4851-503: The current northern door. He also converted the north wing into barracks of the "Batallón de Guardia de Supremos Poderes" (Battalion of Guards for the Supreme Powers). In 1864, Maximilian of Habsburg had three flagpoles installed in front of the three main doors. By the central door was the Mexican flag; at the north door was the flag of Austria and at the south door was the flag of France . He also had Lorenzo de la Hidalga construct

4950-453: The department, moved their offices to the north wing, finishing in 1902. He chose the largest room in the wing for the Office of Seals. In 1896, the bell that Father Hidalgo rung at the parish of Dolores, Guanajuato was moved here. A number of changes were made during the rule of Porfirio Díaz . The English-made clock on the parapet was moved to the tower of the Church of Santo Domingo. The façade

5049-471: The doors, windows, cornices , and parapets. In the interior, a grand staircase of marble was installed in the central patio (where Diego Rivera would later paint The History of Mexico mural) and constructed stairs to the internal revenue department and the offices of the General Treasury in the north wing. The old Chamber of Deputies, abandoned after a fire in 1872, was reconstructed and re-inaugurated as

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5148-458: The eve of Mexican Independence Day , the National Palace is the star of the show. The original bell Father Hidalgo rang is here and the President himself gives the Grito de Dolores from its main balcony. He also notes one such Independence Eve, in 1964, when General Charles de Gaulle , then- President of France , spoke to the crowd in Spanish from the Palace. He notes this to assert that the Palace

5247-717: The family name in court, William finally settled with his siblings. He gave Corneel an extra $ 200,000 in cash and a trust fund of $ 400,000. He gave Mary and Ethelinda the same settlement. Still, all told, this was comparatively very little from the—by far—largest estate in the world at that time. William's eldest son, Cornelius Vanderbilt II , received $ 5 million in the will, while his three younger sons— William Kissam Vanderbilt , Frederick William Vanderbilt , and George Washington Vanderbilt II —received $ 2 million apiece. Vanderbilt willed amounts ranging from $ 250,000 to $ 500,000 to each of his daughters. His wife received $ 500,000, their New York City home, and 2,000 shares of common stock in

5346-414: The first and last viceroys. After independence, the palace was home to the two emperors who ruled Mexico during brief periods: Agustin de Iturbide and Maximilian I of Mexico . The first president to live in the building was also Mexico's first president, Guadalupe Victoria , and its last occupant in the 19th century was Manuel González , president from 1880 to 1884. After that, the presidential residence

5445-434: The first railroads in the United States were built from Boston to Long Island Sound, to connect with steamboats that ran to New York. By the end of the decade, Vanderbilt dominated the steamboat business on the Sound, and began to take over management of the connecting railroads. In the 1840s, he launched a campaign to take over the most attractive of these lines, the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad , popularly known as

5544-441: The gold returning to the East Coast, went by steamship to Panama , where mule trains and canoes provided transportation across the isthmus. (The Panama Railroad was soon built to provide a faster crossing.) Vanderbilt proposed a canal across Nicaragua , which was closer to the United States and was spanned most of the way across by Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River . In the end, he could not attract enough investment to build

5643-421: The government. Edmund Randolph, a close friend of Walker, coerced the Accessory Transit's San Francisco agent, Cornelius K. Garrison , into opposing Vanderbilt. Randolph convinced Walker to annul the charter of the Accessory Transit Company, and give the transit rights and company steamboats to him; Randolph sold these to Garrison. Garrison brought Charles Morgan in New York into the plan. Vanderbilt took control of

5742-521: The grand marble staircase that is in the Patio of Honor in the southern wing, as well as having the public rooms roofed and furnished with paintings, candelabras , and chamber pots from Hollenbach , Austria and Sirres, France. In opposition, Benito Juárez chose to have his quarters in the north end of the Palace, rather than in the traditional southern end. In 1877, the Secretaría de Hacienda y Credito Público (Secretary of Internal Revenue and Public Credit), José Ives Limantour , as part of his overhaul of

5841-509: The heavily subsidized Collins Line , headed by Edward K. Collins. Vanderbilt eventually drove the Collins Line into extinction. During the 1850s, Vanderbilt also bought control of a major shipyard and the Allaire Iron Works , a leading manufacturer of marine steam engines , in Manhattan. In November 1855, Vanderbilt began to buy control of Accessory Transit once again. That same year, the American military adventurer , William Walker , led an expedition to Nicaragua and briefly took control of

5940-407: The high court ( Real Audiencia ) and other legal offices, royal treasury agents, attorneys including those of the General Indian Court , as well as small prisons in the complex. During the tenure of viceroy Bernardo Gálvez, he sought a residence separate from the palace and plans for Chapultepec Castle were drawn up in 1785, to be constructed on a high point outside the core of the city. The palace

6039-559: The inland water trade and invested in the rapidly growing railroad industry, effectively transforming the geography of the United States. As one of the richest Americans in history and wealthiest figures overall, Vanderbilt was the patriarch of the wealthy and influential Vanderbilt family . He provided the initial gift to found Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee . According to historian H. Roger Grant : "Contemporaries, too, often hated or feared Vanderbilt or at least considered him an unmannered brute. While Vanderbilt could be

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6138-417: The inner, secondary building, tall windows with small ironwork balconies were installed. The south door led to what was named the "Patio of Honor"; in this section were the viceroy's quarters. The mezzanine held the offices of the Secretary and the Archives of the Viceroyalty. The lower part has servants' and halberdiers ' quarters as well as storage bins for mercury . This Patio of Honor opened in back toward

6237-430: The matter of their father's will to court, claiming he was not in his right mind in his old age when he drew up the will; that he had been behaving strangely and was under William's influence as well as that of a corrupt spiritualist in his employ, who'd allegedly been approached and paid off by William to do his bidding, according to eyewitness testimony. Allegedly, William paid the spiritualist (a Mr. Stoddard) to suggest

6336-443: The middle and largest panel, the Conquest is depicted with its ugliness, such as rape and torture, as well as priests defending the rights of the indigenous people. The battle for independence occupies the uppermost part of this panel in the arch. The American and French invasions are represented below this, as well as the Reform period and the Revolution. The left-hand panel is dedicated to early and mid-20th century, criticizing

6435-431: The name "The People's Line", he used the populist language associated with Democratic president Andrew Jackson to get popular support for his business. At the end of the year, the monopoly paid him a large amount to stop competing, and he switched his operations to Long Island Sound. During the 1830s, textile mills were built in large numbers in New England as the United States developed its manufacturing base. Some of

6534-458: The nation's transportation infrastructure, contributing to a transformation of the very geography of the United States. He embraced new technologies and new forms of business organization, and used them to compete....He helped to create the corporate economy that would define the United States into the 21st century." The Commodore had lived in relative modesty considering his nearly unlimited means, splurging only on race horses. His descendants were

6633-630: The number of shares a company could issue. But Gould bribed the legislature to legalize the new stock. Vanderbilt used the leverage of a lawsuit to recover his losses, but he and Gould became public enemies. Gould never got the better of Vanderbilt in any other important business matter, but he often embarrassed Vanderbilt, who uncharacteristically lashed out at Gould in public. By contrast, Vanderbilt befriended his other foes after their fights ended, including Drew and Cornelius Garrison. Following his wife Sophia's death in 1868, Vanderbilt went to Canada. On August 21, 1869, in London, Ontario , he married

6732-420: The ones who built the Vanderbilt houses that characterize the United States' Gilded Age . According to The Wealthy 100 by Michael Klepper and Robert Gunther, Vanderbilt would be worth $ 143 billion in 2007 United States dollars if his total wealth as a share of the nation's gross domestic product ( GDP ) in 1877 (the year of his death) were taken and applied in that same proportion in 2007. This would make him

6831-426: The palace facade and windows with graffiti and by breaking windows, and burned down a section of the Mariana Door after a failed attempt at breaking it down. The National Institute of History and Anthropology (INAH) handled the restoration and presented charges for the damage. On March 6, 2024, protesters demonstrating in commemoration of the Iguala mass kidnapping in 2014 used a commandeered pickup truck to batter down

6930-407: The palace surprised Cortés, which he relayed in letters to Charles I of Spain . The palace also held a chamber reserved for the "tlacxitlan" where a group of elders, presided over by the emperor himself, would settle disputes among the citizenry. After the Conquest, these New Houses were not completely leveled to the ground but were sufficiently destroyed as to make them uninhabitable. The land and

7029-404: The palace. Historian Manuel Rivera Cambas states that after reconstruction, the palace lost its fortress-like appearance, and took on a Baroque appearance. Its crenels were converted into windows with ironwork grilles . framed in stonework. Inscriptions were etched above these windows and coats-of-arms were places to the sides. A smaller, third door was added on the north side of the building. On

7128-404: The railroad industry. He was inducted in the "Railway Workers & Builders: North America" category. Statues of Cornelius Vanderbilt can be found at various locations, including Vanderbilt University and Grand Central Terminal. At Vanderbilt University, a statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt, designed by Giuseppe Moretti in 1897, stands near Kirkland Hall in commemoration of his gift to help found

7227-663: The railroads. Once in charge of the Harlem, Vanderbilt encountered conflicts with connecting lines. In each case, the strife ended in a battle that Vanderbilt won. He bought control of the Hudson River Railroad in 1864, the New York Central Railroad in 1867, and the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway in 1869. He later bought the Canada Southern as well. In 1870, he consolidated two of his key lines into

7326-486: The relatively light-weight stone helps impede a building from sinking into the unstable lake bed on which Mexico City was built. Non-building uses include its inclusion in flower arrangements and botanical gardens, as substrate for aquariums , and for temazcales and ovens. Tezontle is often used as the top layer of gravel on unpaved roads in Mexico. Many buildings use tezontle to create an aesthetic facade. Here are some examples. This Mexico -related article

7425-540: The second-wealthiest person in United States history, after Standard Oil co-founder John Davison Rockefeller (1839–1937). Another calculation, from 1998, puts him in third place, after Andrew Carnegie . In real terms, however, Vanderbilt's peak wealth of $ 105 million in 1877 is only worth US$ 3 billion (in 2023 dollars). In 1999, Cornelius Vanderbilt was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame , recognizing his significant contributions to

7524-620: The sky having completed his earthly cycle. Once he leaves the earth, Quetzalcóatl assumes the shape the morning star , called Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli . The cycle that he undergoes signifies the continuous cycle of life. Rivera's creation of a Mexican identity helps to continue the reform that began with the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Before this time, any individualism from the Indians was discouraged as well as any allusion toward Aztec origins. The mural aims to dismiss any idea of inferiority. In

7623-412: The status quo and depicting a Marxist kind of utopia, featuring the persons of Plutarco Elías Calles , John D. Rockefeller , Harry Sinclair , William Durant , J.P. Morgan , Cornelius Vanderbilt and Andrew Mellon as well as Karl Marx . This part of the mural also includes Frida Kahlo , Diego's wife. This mural reflects Diego's own personal views about Mexico's history and the indigenous people of

7722-423: The steamboat. Though both Livingston and Fulton had died by the time Vanderbilt started working for Gibbons, the monopoly was held by Livingston's heirs. They had granted a license to Aaron Ogden to run a ferry between New York and New Jersey. Gibbons launched his steamboat venture because of a personal dispute with Ogden, whom he hoped to drive into bankruptcy. To accomplish this, he undercut prices and also brought

7821-421: The surrounding region. First he took over Gibbons' ferry to New Jersey, then switched to western Long Island Sound . In 1831, he took over his brother Jacob's line to Peekskill, New York , on the lower Hudson River . That year he faced opposition by a steamboat operated by Daniel Drew , who forced Vanderbilt to buy him out. Impressed, Vanderbilt became a secret partner with Drew for the next thirty years, so that

7920-449: The third floor was added during the term of President Plutarco Elías Calles by Alberto J. Pani, an engineer and then finance minister and designed by Augusto Petriccioli. Merlons were placed on the towers and parapet and decorative caps were placed on all three doors. The Dolores Bell was placed in a niche flanked by atlantes above the balcony above the central door. The façade was covered with red tezontle stone and installed stone frames on

8019-485: The title of the largest privately owned home in the United States, though it is open to the public. The mansion contains 178,926 square feet (16,622.8 square meters) of total floor space and originally sat on 125,000 acres (50,600 hectares) of land. It now sits on 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) due to George's final wishes that 86,000 acres (35,000 ha) be sold to the government at $ 5 per acre ($ 12/ha)—a significantly cut rate and what George had originally paid—in order to form

8118-712: The two men would have an incentive to avoid competing with each other. On November 8, 1833, Vanderbilt was nearly killed in the Hightstown rail accident on the Camden and Amboy Railroad in New Jersey. Also on the train was president John Quincy Adams . In 1834, Vanderbilt competed on the Hudson River against the Hudson River Steamboat Association , a steamboat monopoly between New York City and Albany . Using

8217-483: The university. Additionally, a statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt is located on the south side of Grand Central Terminal, facing the Park Avenue road viaduct to the south. The 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 -foot-tall (2.6-meter) bronze statue was sculpted by Ernst Plassmann and was originally sited at the Hudson River Railroad depot at St. John's Park before being moved to Grand Central Terminal in 1929. Cornelius Vanderbilt

8316-412: The wooden doors of the palace before entering and getting expelled by security forces. Because of work related to the construction of Metro Line 2 and the acceleration of the sinking of many of the buildings in the historic center, the basic structure of the Palace suffered deterioration, requiring work to secure the building's foundation and supports, especially on the third floor, the central patio and

8415-484: The younger Vanderbilt received half the profit. He began his business by ferrying freight and passengers on a ferry between Staten Island and Manhattan . Such was his energy and eagerness in his trade that other captains nearby took to calling him "The Commodore" in jest—a nickname that stuck with him all his life. While many Vanderbilt family members had joined the Episcopal Church , Cornelius Vanderbilt remained

8514-522: Was replaced by Grand Central Terminal in 1913. In 1868, Vanderbilt fell into a dispute with Daniel Drew, who had become treasurer of the Erie Railway . To get revenge, he tried to corner Erie stock, which led to the so-called Erie War . This brought him into direct conflict with Jay Gould and financier James Fisk Jr. , who had just joined Drew on the Erie board. They defeated the corner by issuing " watered stock " in defiance of state law, which restricted

8613-531: Was a clock and a bell. The main courtyard was built large enough so he could entertain visitors with New Spain 's first recorded bullfights. The Spanish crown bought the palace from the Cortés family in 1562 to house the Viceregal Palace. It remained so until Mexican Independence in the 1820s. In 1562, the Spanish Crown bought the palace and land from Martin Cortés , son of Hernán Cortés, retaining much of

8712-442: Was buried in the family vault in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp on Staten Island. He was later reburied in a tomb in the same cemetery constructed by his son Billy . Three of his daughters and son, Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt , contested the will on the grounds that their father was of unsound mind and under the influence of his son Billy and spiritualists whom he consulted on a regular basis. The court battle lasted more than

8811-400: Was cemented over and etched to look like stone block. Cloth awnings were placed on the windows of the upper floors. On pedestals near the main door, statues of female forms were placed. Inside, the ambassador's room, the dining room, the kitchens, the lounge, the garages and the stables were all refurnished. This was done at a time when French style was popular in Mexico. Between 1926 and 1929,

8910-539: Was childless when he committed suicide, in 1882, and George Washington Vanderbilt died during the Civil War, before having any children. All of the Vanderbilt multimillionaires descend through the oldest son Billy and his wife. Cornelius' youngest grandson through William, George Washington Vanderbilt II , built the 250-room Biltmore Estate in the mountains of Asheville , North Carolina, as his main residence with part of his inheritance from his grandfather. It still retains

9009-519: Was contrary to social etiquette at the time. In the Finance Ministry patio is the Benito Juárez Room, where this president lived during the end of his term and where he died on July 18, 1872. The bedroom, living room and study have been preserved complete with a number of objects belonging to the president. The site and much of the building material of the current building is of what were called Moctezuma II's " New Houses ". This palace functioned as

9108-581: Was eventually added to Aertson's village name to create " van der Bilt " ("of the Bilt"). This was eventually condensed to Vanderbilt. Anthony Janszoon van Salee was one of Cornelius Vanderbilt's great-great-great-great-grandfathers. Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in Staten Island , New York, on May 27, 1794, to Cornelius van Derbilt and Phebe Hand. He began working on his father's ferry in New York Harbor as

9207-659: Was exhaustion, brought on by long suffering from a complication of chronic disorders. At the time of his death, aged 82, Vanderbilt had an estimated worth of $ 105 million ($ 3,004,312,500 in 2023 dollars). In his will, he left 95% of his $ 105 million estate to his son William (Billy) and four grandsons through him. This left his only other living son, Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt , and 9 daughters (Phebe Jane, Ethelinda, Eliza, Emily Almira, Sophia Johnson, Maria Louisa, Frances Lavinia, Mary Alicia, and Catherine Juliette), to receive comparatively little inheritance; far less than even their young nephews. Corneel , Ethelinda and Mary took

9306-523: Was in the 1830s when he was first referred to as "commodore", then the highest rank in the United States Navy . A common nickname for important steamboat entrepreneurs, by the end of the 1840s it was applied only to Vanderbilt. When the California gold rush began in 1849, Vanderbilt switched from regional steamboat lines to ocean-going steamships. Many of the migrants to California, and almost all of

9405-433: Was moved to Chapultepec Castle and later, in 1934, to Los Pinos , but the National Palace became the official residence once again with Andrés Manuel López Obrador , president since 2018. Famous people who stayed here include Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz , Mateo Alemán , Friar Servando de Mier (he also died here), Alexander von Humboldt and Simón Bolívar . On November 8, 2014, alleged anarchists intentionally damaged

9504-632: Was not finished. On the upper floor is what once was the Theatre Room of the viceroys , which became the Chamber of Deputies from 1829 to August 22, 1872, when the room was accidentally destroyed by fire. In this parliamentary chamber the Reform Constitution of 1857 was written. This and the Constitution of 1917 are on display. The Palace has fourteen courtyards but only a few of these, such as

9603-422: Was part of a construction which is thought to have consisted of five interconnected buildings containing the emperor's office, chambers for children and several wives and even a zoo. More excavations are planned. On the webpage of past president Ernesto Zedillo , Carlos Fuentes calls the National Palace a "traveling and an immobile construction". Traveling is used in the sense that much of its architectural style

9702-399: Was the site of viceregal power and centrally located so that when there were outbreaks of violence toward the regime, the palace was a target. Due to tensions between the viceroy and the archbishop, the palace was set on fire by supporters of the archbishop in 1624. On 8 June 1692, the palace was almost completely destroyed. Viceroy Gaspar de Sandoval then had Friar Diego Valverde reconstruct

9801-417: Was unstable and would collapse, they had a full battalion charge down them while they stood underneath. The Treasury Room is no longer in use. Leading to the Museum part of the complex, which used to be the Finance Ministry, is a statue of Benito Juárez by Miguel Noreña . This work was criticized at the time because it was felt that such an honored person should not be depicted sitting on his coattails, as it

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