The area's history as a community began when it was developed as a residential district for wealthy foreigners and Mexico City residents looking to move from the city center. The development of the area stalled during and after the Mexican Revolution. From the s to s the neighborhood was revitalized by artists, intellectuals and the city's elite who repopulated the area, gave it a bohemian reputation and attracted exclusive restaurants and clubs for visiting politicians and other notables.
The era ended in the s, when many of the upscale businesses moved out and tourism, men's clubs, prostitution and crime moved in. Although the area declined during the s, it is still a major shopping and entertainment district and has also become a major tourist attraction for the city, one that the city has worked to preserve and rehabilitate since the s, with mixed success. From the s, the area has also become home to Mexico City's gay community, which is prominent around Amberes Street and sponsors an annual pride parade on Paseo de la Reforma.
The area also attracted Mexico City's elite who were looking to escape the city center. Nevertheless, the area remained one of the more glamorous zones for most of the 20th century.
In the s, the area was repopulated and reinvigorated by artists and intellectuals attracted to its location between the historic center and Chapultepec Park.
These three don't exist anymore. However, there were also several clubs known for chorus girls. One of these was the Can-can, on the corner of Hamburgo and Genova Streets. This is the origin of the area's current name. In , Cuevas created a mural on a rooftop in Zona Rosa only to destroy it seconds afterwards. This event was meant to rebel against the social and political content of most of Mexico's post-Revoluction mural movement. This era of Zona Rosa's development continued until the s.
