9 fun facts about Mexico City’s Mercado Jamaica

My small flat is regularly afloat of caller flowers, a luxury that’s markedly much affordable successful Mexico than it ever was successful the U.S. I’ve been taking a stab astatine self-taught angiosperm arrangements, but they ne'er rather look close — ever a spot lopsided oregon oddly proportioned. So erstwhile a person invited maine to a angiosperm arranging people successful the San Rafael vicinity of Mexico City, I jumped astatine the chance.

The intimate store consisted of conscionable 7 women and 1 adept teacher. We gathered astir an oval-shaped table, surrounded by buckets overflowing with fragrant blooms – vibrant roses, silvery eucalyptus, cheerful carnations, and melodramatic dahlias – with bare vases waiting for our idiosyncratic creations. The teacher casually mentioned that helium had sourced everything aboriginal that greeting from Mercado Jamaica. As I soon discovered, Mexico City’s astir beloved angiosperm marketplace isn’t conscionable a spot to shop; it’s a taste instauration with a fascinating history. Here are 9 things that marque it special.

If you request flowers are abbreviated notice, chances are you’ll find yourself astatine Mercado Jamaica. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

It’s Mexico City’s premier angiosperm market

Mercado Jamaica stands arsenic the starring angiosperm marketplace successful Mexico City, offering thousands of angiosperm and works varieties sourced from crossed the country. These botanical gems travel chiefly from Puebla, Michoacán, Chiapas, Veracruz, the State of Mexico, and Oaxaca. While section florists comprise the bulk of buyers, a important information of flowers are exported to the United States. In fact, 95% of Mexican angiosperm exports are shipped straight to its bluish neighbor. Beyond the staples (chrysanthemums, sword lilies, roses, and carnations predominate the Mexican angiosperm market) Mercado Jamaica includes galore indigenous and uncommon plants, establishing it arsenic an exceptional botanical destination successful the bosom of the city.

It’s 1 of the city’s fewer destinations unfastened 24 hours a day

Unlike astir nationalist markets, Mercado Jamaica ne'er closes its doors. Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this bustling marketplace accommodates some wholesale and retail customers astatine immoderate hour. This round-the-clock work ensures that caller flowers are ever available, though the daytime hours typically gully the largest crowds and showcase the marketplace astatine its astir vibrant.

A web of jobs stems from Mercado Jamaica

Mercado Jamaica houses astir 1,150 vendors crossed 3 main warehouses oregon “naves.” About 40% of sellers connection escaped flowers, 25.5% supply angiosperm arrangements, and 4.3% specialize successful angiosperm pots and accessories. The remaining vendors connection a divers scope of goods including unrecorded plants, vegetables, butcher items, and groceries, successful the manner of a emblematic Mexican metropolis market. Just arsenic flowers aren’t the lone product, Mercado Jamaica contributes to a broader employment outlet for some locals and out-of-towners. Floriculture successful Mexico has created astatine slightest 250 1000 nonstop jobs, and astir 1 cardinal indirect jobs, overmuch of which is concentrated successful the astir agrarian swaths of the country. It’s besides a important outlet for ladies – according to SADER, 60% of angiosperm accumulation is women-run.

The marketplace is 1 of the oldest successful the city…

A photograph from August 1957, erstwhile the remodeled marketplace was reopened to the public. (MAF/Wikimedia Commons)

The geographical country of Mercado Jamaica has served arsenic a trading hub since astatine slightest the twelvemonth 1500, arsenic documented successful humanities codices. During pre-Hispanic times, it was strategically located connected the eastbound enactment of Lake Xochimilco and was known for its chinampas. Canoes and barges transporting goods to the main Tlatelolco marketplace would halt present to trade. When Mexico City’s lakes and canals were yet drained, what began arsenic a water-based commerce strategy transitioned to land, evolving with the changing scenery of the Valley of Mexico.

…but the modern look was unveiled 68 years ago

The Mercado Jamaica we admit contiguous was officially inaugurated connected September 23, 1957, arsenic portion of a large municipality modernization initiative. This project, led by President Adolfo Ruíz Cortines and Mexico City’s regent Ernesto P. Uruchurtu, aimed to amended nationalist infrastructure and included the operation of different large markets similar Sonora and La Merced. The inauguration day was chosen to coincide with the festival of the Virgen de las Mercedes, the patron saint of section markets, honoring the market’s assemblage traditions.

It’s architecturally significant

The marketplace was designed by renowned Mexican architects Félix Candela, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, and Rafael Mijares, pioneers of modern Mexican architecture. Covering 36,000 quadrate meters, the archetypal plan featured distinctive factual canopies, besides known arsenic “sombrillas,” astatine the exterior to supply shadiness and protection. The open, modular layout is organized into 3 ample halls and allows for businesslike aerial circulation and earthy light. Even though the archetypal factual canopies were damaged successful the 1985 earthquake and replaced with metallic structures, the marketplace remains an architectural landmark successful Mexico City.

Visitors tin eat, too

Need a wound betwixt hunting for blooms? No problem. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Beyond the endless abundance of multicolored buds and accessories, Mercado Jamaica houses a dedicated nutrient section. Jamaica Comidas is overflowing with arsenic colorful, deliciously authentic Mexican cuisine and caller produce. The huaraches are notably famous. Legend has it, doña Carmelita (Carmen Gómez Medina) was selling sopes and tlacoyos adjacent Calzada de La Viga successful the 1930s, erstwhile abruptly a lawsuit requested a masa barroom ample capable to clasp meat. This inspired Carmelita to make an elongated, bean-filled patty resembling a “huarache,” oregon an indigenous sandal. She’d apical the 30-centimeter agelong barroom with grilled meats, eggs, cheese, and nopales, and garnish it with salsa, crema, and avocado, starting a culinary inclination that continues to this day.

The Christmas enactment superior of Mexico City

No, there’s not an authoritative posada astatine Mercado Jamaica, but anyone tasked with readying 1 mightiness privation to carve retired a time to store here. Peruse an extended enactment of rainbow-hued piñatas, disposable year-round but peculiarly embellished during the Christmas season. Stock up connected Christmas trees imported from Canada and a immense array of decorations, from twinkling lights to nativity scenes. This seasonal specialization makes the marketplace a go-to destination for assorted celebrations passim the year, including birthdays, weddings, and accepted Mexican holidays.

It’s truthful casual to get to, there’s nary excuse not to go

Located successful the Jamaica vicinity of the Venustiano Carranza borough, eastbound of downtown Mexico City, the marketplace is easy accessible via nationalist transportation. The Jamaica Metro presumption connected Line 9 exits straight beneath the market, portion Line 4 is simply a abbreviated locomotion away. A connection to the omniscient – portion its determination is convenient, its sprawling layout of galore lanes and sections is little an organized market store acquisition and much of a maze. This labyrinthine prime adds to its charm, though first-time visitors are often advised to acquisition items erstwhile they spot them, arsenic retracing steps tin beryllium challenging astatine best, intolerable astatine worst.

Practical information

Hours: Open 24 hours, each day
Getting there: Take Metro Line 9 oregon Line 4 to Jamaica station; the Line 9 exit is straight nether the market
Location: Jamaica neighborhood, Venustiano Carranza borough, eastbound of downtown Mexico City

Bethany Platanella is simply a question planner and manner writer based successful Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine deed that comes straight aft booking a level ticket, exploring section markets, practicing yoga and munching connected caller tortillas. Sign up to person her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, oregon travel her on Instagram.