Did you know that right in Zihuatanejo there is a Greek Parthenon?

One of the best secrets and clandestine tourist attraction in Zihuatanejo is the Negro Durazos Parthenon. Its not open for tourist but if you are lucky maybe the guard can let you in for a couple of dollars.

It has the most amazing view of Playa La Ropa It’s kind of a copy of the Greece Parthenon built between 447 and 432 B.C by Pericles to thank the Gods for their win against the Persians”

This mansion was built for Arturo “El negro” Durazo, a politician who was responsible for the police of Mexico City. A childhood friend of President José López Portillo. Story tells he defended him from the bullies at public school.

El Negro Durazo was a corrupt politician, and was involved in all the dirty business in the country, so he became very wealthy in no time. He built many mansions, but Zihuatanejos Parthenon was the more extravagant and beautiful of all.

You can get to it by walking; it’s located in Camino Escénico a Las Gatas, just passing the Marines building, a little ahead of Embarc. There’s a little dirt road, you walk this road up the hill and you will face a splendid six meters iron gate, identical to the main access to the “Bosque de Chapultepec” in Mexico city.

Just behind the gate is a cage, they said they used to have a lion there. Just entering you can see many destroyed sculptures of Poseidon and Venus de Milo, many without head, because in some moment they were vandalized. The sculpture was Gabriel Pinzanelli, a very renowned Mexican artist.

When you enter the mansion you are marveled by the big marble floors, tables and walls, it’s just amazing, even now that it’s all in ruin. There are many roman and Greek paintings on the walls and sculptures. It is incredible.

Then from the living, there is a big stair that go down to a great pool with ocean view, more sculptures and what it was supposed to be a discotheque. In the other side of the pool is the heliport.

In the second floor, there are four bedrooms, each with mirrors in the ceiling, and paintings on the walls. All bedrooms have ocean view. People said all bathroom faucets where made of gold.

There’s a myth that from the property there’s a tunnel, that go straight to the beach, some people even said it had water so a boat can go through it, in my opinion that is very difficult to be truth, and in case it exist, it’s not open.

Story tells that more than a thousand men’s, built this mansion, many of them police officer’s from Mexico City, who were sent by Durazo.

Unfortunately for Durazo, he could not use the mansion much, because 3 years after the construction ended, the next president, Miguel de La Madrid asked for an investigation and put him in jail, and seize his properties.

Property was in litigation for years, the family was fighting to claim they had the right to own it. Recently they lost and it’s supposed that the Parthenon is going to be a cultural center open to visitors.

Visiting the Parthenon is a great experience, its magnificent, it’s beautiful, it’s exciting, it’s clandestine, and is watching part of Mexico history.

You should have a picture here!