First Printing House of America

Old colonial house of 383 square metres that was built towards the year 1524 in one of the solars donated apparently the conquerer Geronimo de Aguilar as an award for his performance as Hernan Cortes translator.

The solar was located inside the premises that belonged to the architectonic complex dedicated to Tezcatlipoca, one of the main Gods of the Mexica culture; the property is found inside the limits of the ancient sacred Tenochtitlan grounds.

In 1527 inside this house were casted the bells that embellished the cathedral founded by Cortes, this gave the house the name of “House of the Bells”. In 1539 the house was turned into a printing house by Juan Pablos who was given permission by the German John Cromberger to set there the first printing house of the American Continent. The first book was printed in 1539 and was called: “La breve y más compendiosa doctrina en lengua Mexicana y castellana”, published under the orders of the Bishop Fray Juan de Zumárraga.

The first printing house of America, Centre of Education and Cultural Extension is part of the General Office of Diffusion of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and offers the university community and general public a variety of cultural activities ever since it’s inauguration in 1994.