General Information

Colegio Nacional (National College) is a Mexican honorary academy with a strictly limited membership, established by presidential decree in 1943 in order to bring together the country’s foremost artists and scientists. Members are periodically invited to deliver lectures and seminars in their respective areas of speciality.

Additional Information

The College was founded on 8 April 1943 with the purpose of promoting Mexican culture and scholarship in a number of different fields. Its motto is “Libertad por saber” (Freedom through knowledge) and its emblem is an eagle taking off (symbolising the freedom of thought) above a flaming sun (representing wisdom).

Membership is generally a lifelong commitment, although it could be forfeited under certain conditions. The College’s foundation decree was signed by General Manuel Ávila Camacho and limited membership to twenty Mexican-born citizens, who were supposed to deliver their lectures or seminars in its official premises in Mexico City.

A subsequent amendment signed by President Luis Echeverría in 1971 increased the limit to forty members, who were given the choice of delivering both their lectures and seminars in places other than the capital.

Naturalized Mexicans could also be appointed, provided that at least ten years had passed since they acquired citizenship. In 1995, President Ernesto Zedillo amended the rules so that naturalized Mexicans could be admitted to the College irrespective of the date on which they acquired citizenship.

The property on which the Colegio sits used to belong to the Convent of La Enseñanza. When the convent was closed in 1863, due to the Reform Laws, this site first became the Palace of Justice. Later, the property was split to house the General Notary Archives and the Colegio. The building took on its present appearance in 1871. During the presidency of Lazaro Cardenas, the building was used by the Unified Socialist Youth Movement.

Architecture: Highlights

The façade of the building has three levels and is covered in tezontle, a blood-red, porous, volcanic stone. The doors, windows and balconies are framed in chiluca, a greyish-white stone. The windows and balconies have ironwork railings and window guards.

Architecture: Explained

The main entrance leads to an entrance hall, which in turn leads to a central patio. The ground floor of the patio is marked with pilasters, while the upper level has columns. The most important room in the building is the assembly hall, where debates take place, new members are initiated and congresses in the College’s various specialities are conducted.

The building houses a collection of nine gilded altarpieces that date from the end of the 17th century. Among the paintings on display are “The Assumption of Mary” and “The Virgin of the Book of Revelation Apocalypse”, both done by Andres Lopez in 1779.