Hanging from the bell tower of the chapel, in front of the statue of St. Francis of Assisi, was the dead body of Fernando Saldaña Galván, the man who refused to leave his creation. Today, many believe his spirit still haunts the hotel he loved so much and protects it from any intrepid visitor who dares trespass the old gates of the “Posada del Sol.”
Whether it’s a legend or a real event, the story of the abandoned hotel in the Doctores neighborhood of Mexico City, is fascinating. The walls of this concrete monster hold many untold and dark stories of suicide and passionate crimes. Until now, all the rumors related to Saldaña’s ghost or the girl from room 103 have kept intruders away from the building, but what’s really behind those doors?
Considered an icon of Mexico’s architecture, this mighty building is a mixture of architectonic and artistic currents. Being an art lover, the architect in charge of this building designed it as a residence and hotel for artists and intellectuals of the time. However, what was meant to be a magnificent sanctuary of creativity, made with amazing details and impressive dimensions, now remains in ruins. All that remains are empty rooms, dark basements, moldy windows, dusty walls, and a wild garden.
Among the ruins of the hotel, a beautiful chapel stands out. The two stone sculptures of St. Francis of Assisi and a wolf guarding the sacred space have witnessed the building’s decay. Rumor has it that Saldaña acquired endless debts while building the “Posada del Sol.” After declaring bankruptcy and allegedly murdering his wife and children, he ended his life in the chapel’s tower. Perhaps this might explain the presence of the ghost of a little girl that haunts the aisles connected to room 103, where an altar has been made to appease her.
Along with the legend of the hotel, the way it was built adds a mystical vibe due to its double walls and secret aisles. Even though the “Posada del Sol” has been abandoned for many years, the neighbors assure that during the night they can hear bone-chilling laments coming from the walls. In addition to the paranormal phenomenon, the aesthetic richness of the place –mixing Art Nouveau and Baroque styles– seduces those obsessed with the building and its history. Despite the mess and debris, today it’s still possible to distinguish the different rooms of the hotel: the luxurious bathrooms, the circular bar, the small theater, and even the elegant metal plaques that numbered each one of its rooms.
However, there’s an underground floor, of which those few and maybe not so privileged visitors speak about with true fear. This room has checkered black and white tiles, colossal columns holding the roof, and remains of what used to be a hotel’s chimney. Saldaña’s project also includes balconies that overlook a vast garden and the chapel’s dome. Inside the chapel, there’s a pentagram inside a circle, as well as a series of symbols and phrases on the walls that associate the architect with masonry.
Whether this abandoned place is haunted or not, it is clear the desolation is its true inhabitant. The ruins of this eclectic jewel of architecture show the decadence of greed and ambition, the vain attempts of creating a paradise on Earth.
The official and most credible version of what happened in the hotel explains that actually Saldaña died of pneumonia in his house some months after canceling the construction of this legendary hotel. His ambitious project is still uninhabited, and unfortunately, it’s falling into pieces. What some consider a crazy combination of styles is seen by others as a rich mixture of icons that even merge Greek mythology and characters from the Mexican Revolution. The result is a unique and symbolic construction whose mystery keeps terrifying those who dare to trespass its threshold.
Some journalists that have investigated the place and have exposed their theories regarding the future of the building. They have claimed that the political and legal battle to sell it will never end. Although the place has been used as a film set and as a warehouse, the access to the hotel is now forbidden. This, of course, has encouraged the theory of it being cursed.
Many believers of the legend think the altars with drawings, toys, and photographs that appeared inside the building prove it is haunted, since no one really knows who put them there. The only thing we know for sure is that the “Posada del Sol” is an authentic architectonic relic that evokes an ambiance of mystery, death, and horror.
