Mérida, Yucatán
Mérida on the map of Yucatán
Mérida ( in modern Maya Than Ho, ho of ' "five" ) is the capital of the State of Yucatán in Mexico. Tourist applies Mérida as a gateway to the world of the Maya ( Puerta al Mundo Maya ).
Pre-Hispanic City
In place of today's Mérida since the Middle Preclassic was a large settlement, which reached its climax during and after the Middle Klassikum. It was characterized by large and high pyramid-like platforms on the upper surface thereof buildings were probably of the late classical period. The Franciscan Diego de Landa and later bishop described the buildings as great and also added a drawing at. The largest structure, the temple pyramid Baklu'mchan with a side length of about 120 m and 10 m height was later converted into a Franciscan monastery and then to Fort San Benito. On the site today is located the central market " Mercado Municipal de Gálvez Lucas ". Modern investigations could clarify the situation further prehispanic buildings accurately. So probably the largest building opposite the cathedral was located, another who was called in colonial times " Cerro de San Antón ", with the dimensions of 180 x 120 m, was located east of San Benito. Other smaller complexes were detected on the basis of old references, height measurements and geo- radar investigations. Overall, the pre-Hispanic Thao ' similarly important as Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Izamal. The latter place, with its numerous large and smaller pyramid platforms can give an impression of how Thao ' should have looked like.
Temporal colonial city
The ancient Mayan city whose ' ( " five ") was renamed the younger ones in Mérida by Francisco de Montejo on January 6, 1542. The town's name refers to the Spanish city of Merida, because of their massive Roman ruins, to which the Spaniards were reminded also given the great pre-Hispanic buildings. Here, as there, the old buildings, however, were often used as quarries for the construction of the Spanish city, which has resulted in Mérida to the beginning of the 20th century to their complete disappearance. Montejo in Mérida moved to a smaller number of Spanish families. Already in 1618, the city had its first own theater and in 1735 gave rise to the present Town Hall.
Modern city
Merida has around 1,200 000 inhabitants. The orientation falls through the typical Latin American cities grid-like street system easily. Streets with even numbers run from north to south, from east to west, the odd, the numbering increases from north to south and from east to west. To the north and west of the cathedral that the roads 61 and 60
Major Squares and streets
The former is called the Zócalo today Plaza de la Independencia (Plaza Grande ) and is the lively center of Merida. To the east stands the twin cathedral, which was built 1561-1598. She was built by hundreds of Mayan workers, the most important building materials were stones of the previously destroyed temples of the ancient Mayan city whose '. Inside is the Cristo de la Unidad ( Christ the unit ). The huge figure of the crucified Christ is the symbol of reconciliation between the descendants of the Spanish and the Maya. South of the cathedral is located in the former Bishop's Palace, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Ateneo de Yucatan. It contains important works of local artists and consolidates the reputation of Mérida as culturally richest city of the Yucatan Peninsula. On the south side of the Plaza de la Independencia, Casa de Montejo is from the year 1549. Former Palace of the Montejo family with his figure- decorated portal is now the headquarters of a bank.
The white Palacio Municipal is located (City Hall) On the west side of the Plaza. It was 1735. 1821 was proclaimed the independence of the state of Yucatán from the veranda on the first floor. The northern side of the square takes the Palacio de Gobierno, a ( Governor's Palace ), whose courtyard is decorated with murals Fernando Castro Pacheco on the history of Yucatan.
North of the Plaza de la Independencia (Plaza Grande) is the Parque Hidalgo to which the Iglesia de Jesus, built in 1618 by the Jesuits as part of a monastery adjacent. This church was mainly built from the material broken temple. Although the Spanish occupiers stayed exactly that no ornaments from Mayan time remained. But can be connected to two stones of the outer facade remains of the original ornaments recognize.
The wide boulevard Paseo Montejo in the north of the city center with its numerous villas from the 19th century, commemorating the wishes of the city planner to the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City or the Champs Élysées in Paris. Here is the Palacio Cantón, the stately residence of General Francisco Canton rosados , which now houses the Museo de Antropología e Historia.
Archdiocese of Yucatán
- Archdiocese of Yucatán
Cultural Events
- Every Sunday in the Plaza de la Independencia street fair Mérida en Domingo (Mérida on Sunday). The city is doing the main pedestrian area with cabaret, live music and food stalls.
- The end of September to mid-October Cristo de las Ampollas, celebrate the Christ of blisters at the Gremio in a daily procession.
- Carnaval, which is considered the largest and most splendid of the Yucatán Peninsula.
- Teatro Peon Contreras, the largest theater of the Yucatán Peninsula with almost daily performances and concerts.
Special
In some shops and markets in and around Mérida Maquech are offered: living beetles, which are carried by locals as costume jewelery.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Pablo Castellanos Leon, pianist and music teacher
- Augusto H. Álvarez (1914-1995), architect
- Rolando Arjona amabilis (* 1920), artist and professor
- Antonio Bolio Medic (1884-1957), playwright, poet, journalist and politician
- Pierre Vidal (1906-1967), businessman and politician in French West Africa
- José Antonio Zorrilla, composer, writer, screenwriter and director