The city of Merida in Yucatan state is undoubtedly one of the essential stops during your holidays in the Mexican Caribbean. Nicknamed “The White City”, it’s a peaceful and welcoming city filled with friendly people just 2 hours from the heart of the Riviera Maya.
ORIGIN
Founded on January 6, 1542, the city was built on the site of the Maya city of T’Hó and still shows some its remains around Plaza Grande in the heart of the city. This is the perfect place to find landmark buildings, restaurants serving food typical of the region, churches, museums, and a long etc. It also connects you with the rest of the city, the area’s famous cenotes or the beautiful beach in Las Coloradas, which is known for its distinctive, unique pink colour.
HISTORIC TOUR
Among the main historical sites in the city centre, we have the magnificent Government Palace, which was originally built to house the official representatives of Yucatan. Apart from the historical value of the building itself, 27 murals and oil paintings about the history of Yucatan can also be found inside the building.
Nearby you’ll find the House of Francisco Montejo, the founder the city in 1542, which is now a museum. Here, you can fully appreciate the beautiful plateresque architecture (developed in Spain during the first third of the 16th century) along with memories of the daily life of important figures from more than 400 years ago.
The Renaissance-style, Cathedral de San Ildefonso was given its name when it was assigned to the head of the Archbishop of Toledo and is considered the oldest church in the Americas, with two towers of more than 40m in height featuring the original clock. Construction was started in 1561 using the stones from the ancient city of T’Ho, and the cathedral was finally completed in 1598.
The area known as Pasaje Picheta also deserves a special mention as one of the ‘must’ visits in Merida as it originally gave refuge to hundreds of prisoners in the city. The name of this site honours the famous cartoonist Gabriel Vicente Gahona Pasos, better known as “Picheta”, who was the founder of the first academy of engraving in Yucatán, in addition to being a great promoter of the arts, he was also the municipal president of Merida in 1880. Picheta is considered one of the most important Yucatecan characters of his time.
Back in 1639, the space was part of the Merida City Hall and the public jail, which remained there for 134 years. Later, in 1869, it became the property of Rafael Albertos, who changed its exterior by building additional rooms. Some years later, the central courtyard was occupied by the “Iris Theatre”, renamed “Olympia”, and the “Independence” hall was used for social events.
PASEO DE MONTEJO
Once you’ve finished visiting the historic centre of Merida, it’s time for a stroll along one of the city’s most notable avenues, Paseo de Montejo. The city’s main avenue is the meeting point for many of the city’s residents.
It also features the two almost identical houses that locals and tourists call “Las Casas Gemelas”, which were built at the start of the 20th century with plans brought from France by the brothers, Ernesto and Camilo Cámara who wanted them to be similar in appearance to the houses in their home country, with balconies and windows decorated with ornate metalwork finishings and walls with magnificent high-reliefs.
Another reason for you to fall in love with Merida is the food, Cochinita pibil (Mexican slow-roasted pork), stuffed cheese and habanero marmalade, all make it difficult to leave the city without thinking about your next visit. It’s clear to see what’s behind the popular saying in Mexico that says, “If the world ends, I’m going to Merida”.
