The main market in the city. It was initially planned, so it is said, as a train station. Its architects were Ernesto Brunel and Antonio Rivas Mercado, and the site was the old Gavira bullfighting ring. Construction began in 1905 and was completed on September 16, 1910. The market was inaugurated by President Porfirio Díaz as part of the centennial independence celebrations.
The building measures 70 meters long by 35 deep, in the form of a letter T seen from above, and it has three entrances. Most of the structure is built of iron. On top of its enormous domed roof is a four-faced clock built by José López, and atop the crowning cupola is a weathervane with a lightning rod. Thirty-four large windows adorn the high walls.
The left door of the Mercado leads out to the Gavira market, a traditional Mexican eatery. The opposite door takes one to the Gavira plaza, which is an open-air market.
