Government Palace of the State of Michoacan

Baroque in style, its construction began in 1760 and was completed in 1770. It was built on land that belonged to the convent of the Catarinas nuns. Part of this land was used for a girls' school run by the Teresian sisters.

The building has a clear French influence, although its decoration contains neo-baroque details. Its façade is considered one of the most beautiful in the city. It has a clear French influence, although its decoration contains neo-baroque details. Its façade is considered one of the most beautiful in the city.

It was created and used as the Tridentine Seminary of San Pedro, with such important figures as Mariano Michelena, Agustín de Iturbide and José María Morelos y Pavón passing through its classrooms.

On October 11, 1760, Bishop Pedro Anselmó Sánchez de Tagle appointed Thomas de Huerta as the architect responsible for carrying out the construction of the Seminary College.

This appointment was due to the fact that the bishop had proven his Christianity and his experience in architecture. Huerta's duties consisted of guiding, governing and directing the work according to the plans that were given to him, and ensuring that the mixtures were always prepared in the same way.

He also had to create templates for the measurements of the stones to be worked by the stonemasons so that they could all be of uniform size and easier to handle.

El proyecto de construcción del obispo Sánchez de Tagle, incluyó las siguientes actividades: Señalamiento del lugar de colocación de la primera piedra (30 de diciembre de 1760); Señalamiento de la forma de inscripción que deberá llevar la colocación de la primera piedra (17 de enero de 1761).

Además de la ceremonia de colocación de la primera piedra el 18 de enero de 1761; la ubicación de la capilla principal el 7 de abril de 1761, y finalmente la inauguración e inicio de clases, marcada para el 29 de septiembre y 18 de octubre de 1771.

De esta forma el cantero labró las piedras de arco, cerramientos, basas, cornisas, zócalos, pies derechos, derrames, escalones, soleras, esquitas, trabazones, además de agujerear las ventanas. El herrero aguzó y calzó barras, hizo asas y cinchos para barriles, barandillas, chapas, llaves.

According to some researchers, the construction of the Colegio Seminario de San Pedro in the city of Valladolid in 1761 was influenced by the political events of the time, such as the secularization of the regular clergy as a result of the reforms included in the Bourbon regime.

The architect who built it, Thomas de Huerta, was one of the most renowned in Valladolid. When this building came into the hands of the state, it is also said that it was a gunpowder park, that is, a warehouse for what was used in war.

In 1863 it was returned to the Church under the government of Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg, but four years later it would return as the seat of the Executive Power, according to the master's thesis Builders of Valladolid de Michoacán in the 18th century by teacher Carlos Núñez Chávez.

A partir del año de 1867, este edificio se convirtió en sede del Poder Ejecutivo del Estado, donde hasta la fecha permanece.

Originally, the foundation would take place in the College of San Nicolás Obispo in accordance with the proposal stated in the Royal Decree of December 8, 1671, so that grammar and Tarascan languages ​​would be studied there.

The foundation was promoted by the bishops Juan de Ortega y Montañez and Joseph de Escalona, ​​with permission from the Viceroy Duke of the Conquest. In 1759, Don Pedro Jaurrieta was named a doctoral canon to represent the cathedral chapter at the meetings on its material construction and all provisions of the Holy Council of Trent; Don Nicolás Motero Soravilla was also named as the bishop's representative; the bachelor Manuel Ignacio Carranza as treasurer; Miguel Angel Antón as Superintendent and Tomás de Huerta as master builder.

It is worth mentioning that between 1874 and 1889, the building housed a public library with more than 15 thousand volumes, which were later moved to the Colegio de San Nicolás.

The former Tridentine Seminary of San Pedro was also the headquarters of the Michoacan Museum for a few years until 1892. At some other time in its history, it has been reported that it also simultaneously housed the Executive and Legislative Branches of the State of Michoacán, as noted in historian Laura Ojeda Dávila's 2016 book, “Morelia: Ayuntamiento de Morelia.”

Among its value are the works of art that it houses inside, plus the seven arches and the staircase placed at the end of the 19th century, a time when the then governor of the state, Epitacio Huerta, decreed the extinction of the Tridentino Seminary and it passed into the possession of the Executive Power.

It was the State Government itself that asked the muralist Alfredo Zalce to carry out the works that are found both in the stairwell and on the second floor.

The cultural importance of this space lies precisely in the murals by Zalce, who is one of the most important artists of Mexican muralism.”

Dichas obras están impregnadas con el movimiento de la Revolución Mexicana a petición del entonces Gobernador David Franco Rodríguez.

These murals tell in stages, the Revolution, the Independence, the history of Michoacán and the most relevant characters and on the other side there is the cultural part of the state such as the dances of Tierra Caliente, the Infiernillo dam, the lake area, among many more distinctive features.

Over time, this 18th century historical monument has suffered various damages to both its façade and its gate.

To resolve these problems, restoration work has been carried out on the main entrance, where the most recent work areas included 187 square meters of pink ignimbrite (volcanic tuff). This original south gate of the building measures 5.39 meters by 3.02 meters, according to the INAH.

The gate has suffered severe damage caused by demonstrations by groups or individuals in 2015, 2016, 2021 and 2023.