If you’ve ever walked through Guadalajara’s Historic Center and looked up at the clock on the Government Palace, you might not have noticed it, but there remains one of the most intriguing marks in the city’s history: a bullet hole dating back to 1915, right in the midst of the Mexican Revolution.
What’s most surprising is that this small detail has become one of the most frequently told historical anecdotes about downtown Guadalajara.
Although thousands of people walk past the building every day without knowing it exists, the hole is right between the clock hands.
Why is there a bullet hole in the clock at the Government Palace?
The story dates back to January 30, 1915, when Villista troops recaptured Guadalajara from the Carrancistas.
According to the most widely accepted account by chroniclers and historians, Colonel Jesús Medina fired a shot at the face of the Government Palace clock to stop it and record the exact time the city was taken.
The bullet struck the clock’s face, causing it to stop, and it remained there for years as a visible reminder of the armed conflict.
The bullet hole that “survived” a restoration
Over time, the original glass eventually deteriorated. During a restoration, it was replaced, which drew criticism because one of the building’s best-known historical traces was disappearing.
Finally, it was decided to install a new pane of glass in which the bullet hole was recreated to preserve this symbol of Guadalajara’s history, although some experts point out that the location isn’t exactly the same as the original.
Today, that small hole continues to pique the curiosity of visitors and locals alike, serving as a reminder of an episode that took place more than a century ago.
