HISTORICAL
ARCHITECTURE
Merida and its environs have
some of the
country?s most important architectural treasures. In the White City you
can admire the cathedral, old mansions and
elegant buildings built in the 17th, 18th
and 19th centuries,
which are now used as public office buildings and museums.
In the surrounding areas, you?ll be awestruck by the architecture of the old haciendas, many of which
have been converted into posh hotels and
tourist spots offering top-rate
services.
Catedral ? Located
between 60th Street
and 61st Street,
it is considered
the nation?s oldest cathedral. Its sober façade
has a large arch that rises above
the main entryway and is
flanked by sculptures of saints Peter
and Paul. Inside you?ll see
vaults with interlaced gothic arches. At the
main altar, you?ll find an image
of the so-called Cristo de la Unidad, which is 7.65
meters (25 feet)
high. Open daily from 6:00 to 1:00 and 2:00 to 8:00.
Palacio de Gobierno ? Located
in front of the Plaza de la Independencia between
60th Street and
61st Street, this
neo-classical building houses various murals painted by Yucatecan artist Fernando Castro
Pacheco depicting the history of the
Mayan people. Open daily from
7:00 to 7:00.
Palacio Canton ? This construction
is known for its French
Renaissance-style façade with its
profusion of elegant adornments that jut out between
balconies and cornices and its
characteristic finial. Inside, the beautiful
building houses the Yucatan Regional Museum of Anthropology.
Open daily from 7:00 to 7:00. Located at 485 Paseo Montejo.
Casa Montejo ? Located on 63rd
Street, this Plateresque-style building is considered
one of the
country?s most important representations of 16th-century architecture. Its façade stands out for its stone
engravings. Open daily from 7:00 to 7:00.
Ermita de Santa Isabel ? A temple with
a plain façade built in the 18th century. Its old
ossuary has been converted into a beautiful garden with a chapel in the rear where
you?ll find a baptismal font and a small recess
with the image of Saint Anthony. Located on 66th Street, at the
corner of 77th Street.
Open daily from 7:00 to 1:00 and 4:00 to 8:00.
Templo de las Monjas ? Located on 63rd and 64th
streets, this structure was built
to receive nuns from the
Convento de la Concepcion de la Ciudad de Mexico (a Mexico City convent). Inside, you?ll find a beautiful and well-preserved
chancel. Open daily from 7:00 to 1:00 and 4:00 to 8:00.
Hacienda Yaxcopoil ? This stupendous
construction demonstrates the rural architectural style at the
end of the
19th century. On
a tour of the grounds, you can see the area
where they used to process
henequen to make textile products.
Lies 33
km (20 mi) from
Merida on Highway 261.
Hacienda Xcanatun ? This hacienda lies near a lowland
forest that offers visitors an exquisite variety
of flowers, trees and bushes
characteristic of the region, while
a small manmade lake is the
habitat of countless colorful fish. The architectural
structures have several original attributes, such as a former machine house that
was converted into a restaurant/bar and the
hacienda?s main building. Without being ostentatious, the rooms have
a special charming quality that adds
to the overall
atmosphere. Located just 12 km (7.4 mi) from
Merida in the direction of Puerto Progreso.
Hacienda San Jose Cholul ? Located
68 km
(42 mi) from Merida on
the Tixkokob-Tekanto Highway 80, this hacienda is a historical treasure, as it has maintained the colonial-style architecture of its era. The machine
house, the original building and the
administrative building are
now used as the hotel?s quaint
rooms. Guests can enjoy the delicious
and colorful regional and international food offered on
the menu, and when night falls, the place warms up to the
live music of Yucatecan ballads.
Hacienda San Ildefonso
Teya ? This hacienda has a luxurious
hotel with comfortable rooms, halls to
rent for special events and parties, and
a restaurant that offers the best in Yucatecan cuisine. Located at Km
12.5 on the Merida-Cancun Highway.
Hacienda Katanchel ? Located at
Km 26 on the Merida-Cancun
Highway. An old construction where they used
to process henequen, today it is a luxurious
hotel that also offers guided tours through its facilities,
textile workshops and beautiful gardens.
