The main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, known as Ciudad Universitaria, is one of the great architectural achievements of the twentieth century. Built between 1949 and 1952 on a field of lava from the ancient eruption of the Xitle volcano, in the south of Mexico City, it brought together dozens of architects, engineers and artists to create a modern campus that would blend international modernism with Mexican traditions. Its most famous building is the Central Library, a tall block covered entirely in a mosaic by Juan O'Gorman, depicting the history of Mexico from pre-Hispanic times to the modern era. UNESCO listed the campus in 2007.
Around the library, the campus has more murals and sculptures, including works by David Alfaro Siqueiros on the Rectorate tower, and the Olympic Stadium, built for the university and later used for the 1968 Olympics, has a relief by Diego Rivera over its main entrance. The campus is also an ecological reserve, with an area of lava rock and native vegetation, the Pedregal, protected within its grounds. The University Cultural Centre has concert halls, theatres, cinemas and a museum of contemporary art.
Riding in Mexico City is intense. The traffic is heavy, chaotic and aggressive, with buses, microbuses, taxis and cars competing for space, and motorcycles weaving between them. The city has traffic restriction programmes that can affect when and where vehicles may circulate, so check the current rules for your plates. The altitude, around two thousand two hundred metres, affects both rider and machine. For better riding, head south out of the city to the forests of Ajusco or toward Cuernavaca, with winding roads through pine forests.
The campus area has fuel, food and services all around. Coyoacán, nearby, is a charming colonial neighbourhood with cobbled streets, plazas and the house of Frida Kahlo, now a museum, the Blue House. Try tacos al pastor, pork cooked on a vertical spit with pineapple, or a plate of chilaquiles for breakfast. The markets of Coyoacán are full of food stalls, where you can eat tostadas, quesadillas and fresh fruit.