Palacio de Minería, Mexico City

The Palace of Mining, also Palace of Mines, is a building in Mexico City, Mexico, considered to be a fine example of Neoclassical architecture in the Americas. It was designed and built between 1797 and 1813 by Valencian Spanish sculptor and architect Manuel Tolsá. It was built to house the Royal School of Mines and Mining of the Royal Court at the request of its director, Fausto Elhuyar, a scientifically-trained mineralogist. Later it housed other institutions such as the National University, the School of Engineering, College of Mines and the Physics Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. It’s also known as the first building with an elevator in North America. ()