La Casa del que Mató al Animal in Puebla, Mexico
In Puebla, there is a legend that claims the city was once attacked by a strange animal, similar to a huge wolf, that came down from the hill of La Malinche. On one occasion, the beast killed Don Pedro Carvajal’s son. In an act of revenge, Carvajal offered the hand of his daughter to whoever could kill the animal.
A soldier answered the call, and with his hunting dogs, killed that strange wolf. Upon returning, he was greeted by enormous applause and cheers, and Carvajal fulfilled his promise. Legend has it that the couple lived in a house in which the façade contained a carved scene of the soldier’s famed hunt.
The scenes are carved in a genre of the Plateresque style called Grutesco. It also showcases forest scenes featuring vermin and strange animals. Although the house was demolished, the engravings on the facade were preserved.
To this day, the building incorporating these engravings is known by the appropriately epic name “La Casa del que Mató al Animal” — The House of He Who Killed the Animal.
