In 1562, the Spanish Crown bought the palace and land from Martin Cortés, son of Hernán Cortés, retaining much of the Cortés palace features.

Italian Capuchin friar Ilarione da Bergamo included a description of the viceregal palace in his travel narrative.
He notes that the building is not just the residence of the viceroy and his family, but also has a number of government offices including the high court (Real Audiencia) and other legal offices, royal treasury agents, attorneys including those of the General Indian Court, as well as small prisons in the complex.
During the tenure of viceroy Bernardo Gálvez, he sought a residence separate from the palace and plans for Chapultepec Castle were drawn up in 1785, to be constructed on a high point outside the core of the city.

The palace was the site of viceregal power and centrally located so that when there were outbreaks of violence toward the regime, the palace was a target.
 Due to tensions between the viceroy and the archbishop, the palace was set on fire by supporters of the archbishop in 1624.
On 8 June 1692, the palace was almost completely destroyed.
Viceroy Gaspar de Sandoval then had Friar Diego Valverde reconstruct the palace.
 Historian Manuel Rivera Cambas states that after reconstruction, the palace lost its fortress-like appearance, and took on a Baroque appearance.
Its crenels were converted into windows with ironwork grilles.
framed in stonework.
Inscriptions were etched above these windows and coats-of-arms were places to the sides.
A smaller, third door was added on the north side of the building.
On the inner, secondary building, tall windows with small ironwork balconies were installed.
The south door led to what was named the "Patio of Honor"; in this section were the viceroy's quarters.
The mezzanine held the offices of the Secretary and the Archives of the Viceroyalty.
The lower part has servants' and halberdiers' quarters as well as storage bins for mercury.
 This Patio of Honor opened in back toward a garden for the use of the viceroy and his court.
The north door led to a small patio in which was located the jail and the guards' quarters.
When the Royal Botanical Expedition to New Spain was at work in Mexico (1787-1803), the establishment of the Royal Botanical Garden on the model of that in the imperial capital of Madrid was an essential mandate of the enterprise.
The viceregal palace itself became a site of the botanical garden, with excavations of the original site done so that fertile soil could be substituted.
The palace essentially remained unchanged until after independence in the 1830s.
In 1562, the Spanish Crown bought the palace and land from Martin Cortés, son of Hernán Cortés, retaining much of the Cortés palace features.
Italian Capuchin friar Ilarione da Bergamo included a description of the viceregal palace in his travel narrative. He notes that the building is not just the residence of the viceroy and his family, but also has a number of government offices including the high court (Real Audiencia) and other legal offices, royal treasury agents, attorneys including those of the General Indian Court, as well as small prisons in the complex. During the tenure of viceroy Bernardo Gálvez, he sought a residence separate from the palace and plans for Chapultepec Castle were drawn up in 1785, to be constructed on a high point outside the core of the city.
The palace was the site of viceregal power and centrally located so that when there were outbreaks of violence toward the regime, the palace was a target.  Due to tensions between the viceroy and the archbishop, the palace was set on fire by supporters of the archbishop in 1624. On 8 June 1692, the palace was almost completely destroyed. Viceroy Gaspar de Sandoval then had Friar Diego Valverde reconstruct the palace.  Historian Manuel Rivera Cambas states that after reconstruction, the palace lost its fortress-like appearance, and took on a Baroque appearance. Its crenels were converted into windows with ironwork grilles. framed in stonework. Inscriptions were etched above these windows and coats-of-arms were places to the sides. A smaller, third door was added on the north side of the building. On the inner, secondary building, tall windows with small ironwork balconies were installed. The south door led to what was named the "Patio of Honor"; in this section were the viceroy's quarters. The mezzanine held the offices of the Secretary and the Archives of the Viceroyalty. The lower part has servants' and halberdiers' quarters as well as storage bins for mercury.  This Patio of Honor opened in back toward a garden for the use of the viceroy and his court. The north door led to a small patio in which was located the jail and the guards' quarters. When the Royal Botanical Expedition to New Spain was at work in Mexico (1787-1803), the establishment of the Royal Botanical Garden on the model of that in the imperial capital of Madrid was an essential mandate of the enterprise. The viceregal palace itself became a site of the botanical garden, with excavations of the original site done so that fertile soil could be substituted. The palace essentially remained unchanged until after independence in the 1830s.
National Palace (Mexico)