Parque de la Bombilla (Mexico City)


El Parque de la Bombilla is a public park located in the neighborhood of San Ángel, Álvaro Obregón district, south of Mexico City. The park and the monument memorialize revolutionary general and former president of the republic and in 1928 president-elect, Álvaro Obregón, who was assassinated in 1928 while dining at the restaurant "La Bombilla", now the site of the monument. The monument complex opened on July 17, 1935, the seventh anniversary of the assassination by José de León Toral.

History

On the morning of July 17, 1928, Obregón was invited out to lunch by the deputies of the State of Guanajuato in the restaurant "La Bombilla". The assassin Toral rushed to the scene after several days of surveilling Obregón, and posed as a cartoonist. He drew a picture of several deputies, and Obregón, who was also portrayed. Toral drew his pistol and fired six shots at Alvaro Obregón, who died at the scene. The murderer was quickly arrested and some policemen tried to kill him, but a deputy, Ricardo Topete, saved him arguing the importance of solving the crime.
Construction of the park began in June 1934 during the presidency of General Abelardo L. Rodríguez and opened on the anniversary of the assassination, on July 17, 1935. The project was designed by architect Enrique Aragón Echegaray.

Features

The main element of La Bombilla Park is the monument to Obregón which is at the main entrance starting north, going south. Its location and dimensions of the structure allows a clear visibility and its size emphasizes Álvaro Obregon's importance. The monument occupies a large plaza.
In 2015 the government of Mexico City started renovating the park, completely renewing the main fountain and adding: