The Yucatecan city of Merida was founded in 1542 by the Spaniard Francisco de Montejo over the ruins of the Mayan city T'ho and received its name to evoke the conquerors the city of Merida in Spain. Merida is known as the White City as is regarded one of the most tranquil and safest cities in Mexico. Her remote Mayan roots, superb colonial monuments and the splendor of her turn to the XIX century architecture, has made Merida a captivating mixture of cultural influences.
Merida is a wonderful colonial city of 750 000 people and the capital of the Yucatan State. The historic Centro area contains the magnificent Cathedral of Ildelfonso, built from the huge stones dismantled by the Spanish from the local Mayan pyramids and a number of markets. Dancers and musicians perform every Sunday in the lively central square. You can take a horsedrawn carriage ride along the beautiful Paseo de Montejo, patterned after Paris’s Champs Elysees. The cosmopolitan northern section of Merida is newer and contains many of the large chain stores commonly found in North American cities, eg. Home Depot, Wal Mart, Sam's Club, Costco,Office Depot and Chili’s restaurant. Merida is rapidly becoming a retirement option for North American ex-pats who remodel and update the affordable colonial houses commonly found in the city. Many of these houses, although nondescript from the outside, feature magnificent artisanship inside and beautiful courtyards in the rear.
With Mérida as your base, you can visit cathedrals and churches, Mayan archaeological sites, museums, haciendas and cenotes. You'll also find movies, theaters, important hospitals, public and private schools, and four universities. Merida is continually listed as one of the safest cities to visit in the Americas.
For additional information on Merida you can access the links listed below:
Yucatan Culture
Calle 60 Stroll
Merida
Merida Attractions
