The formidable compound now known as ‘The Citadel’ started off as a tobacco factory in the late 18th century, though it’s best known as the scene of the Decena Trágica (Tragic Ten Days), the coup that brought down the Madero government in 1913. Today it's home to the Biblioteca de México. Locals use its name interchangeably for the Centro de Artesanías La Ciudadela across the plaza, where vendors sell a wide array of crafts from around Mexico.
Centro de la Imagen, the city’s photography museum, is at the Calle Balderas entrance.
