Castillo de Chapultepec

On the summit of the highest hill in Chapultepec Park you find the Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle) whose story is rarely reported in American history books. The castle was once the home of Emperor Maxmilian and his wife Carlota and still has furnishings from the era of their reign. After the Revolution, the castle became a military academy for young men. In 1847, during the American-Mexican War, the American army assaulted the castle, which was bravely defended by the young cadets, most of whom died. One gallant youth leapt to his death wrapped in the Mexican flag to avoid capture. These young men were later to become known as the Niños Héroes, or Young Heroes. There is a dramatic monument with soaring columns in the park that is dedicated to these young heroes.