All about Plaza Grande in Mérida, Mexico

Plaza Grande - the Zocalo - is the main square in Mérida, which everyone who visits Mérida must have seen and looks at. Plaza Grande - officially "Plaza de la Independencia" - is not only the main square of Mérida but also the oldest square in the city.

Here you will find an overview of the Plaza Grande. However, if you would like to read a detailed overview about all the important attractions at Plaza Grande, I highly recommend our special: Plaza Grande - The Heart of Mérida.

The Plaza Grande marks the center of the city, and this was already the case in Mayan times. The public square is a city landmark and a popular gathering place. As usual in the parks in Mérida there is free wifi and and Plaza Grande offers also numerous charging stations throughout the park.

It is a pretty park where you can go for a walk or sit on one of the many benches and watch the hustle and bustle around. The square has beautiful large laurel trees that provide shade, give it a certain elegance and also serve as a bit of a sound barrier to the hustle and bustle on the streets.

The laurel trees also attract huge flocks of birds, which settle in the trees and drown out the noise of the streets, especially in the evening at sunset. But after sunset, silence reigns again.

The surrounding buildings are also among the oldest and most important in Yucatán. This means you have the opportunity to see a lot of great sights of Mérida within a few minutes.

Mérida letters

No trip to Mérida is complete without taking a picture with the colorful Mérida letters at Plaza Grande. As in almost all larger cities and communities in Mexico, these are of course also found in Mérida. Opposite the Monumento a la Patria there is also a somewhat smaller Mérida sign.

Here's a pro tip: If there are just too many photographers in front of the Merida sign, just take a picture of the back and then simply mirror the image in your phone.

Places of interest around Plaza Grande

Around the square are several sights. First of all, of course, the Catedral de Mérida - San Ildefonso (Cathedral of Mérida), the oldest church in America, furthermore the Centro Cultural Olimpo (Olimpo Cultural Center).

Then there is the Palacio Municipal de Mérida (a historical building currently being used as a City Hall by the local government) and the Palacio de Gobierno del Estado de Yucatán (it houses the state of Yucatán's executive government offices and a tourist office).

You can go inside both buildings, especially Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace) serves not only as a government office but also as a museum, where you can explore murals and oil paintings.

Here's another pro tip: There's a great photo opportunity from the balcony of the Palacio Municipal de Mérida. If you take a picture through the stone arches, you'll capture the park below, with the colorful "Mérida" sign in the foreground and the Catedral in the background. The next photo shows an example of how it can look. Of course, you can also stand at the balustrade yourself for a more personal touch.

The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY) - Fernando García Ponce, a museum in a colonial palace presents works by modern and contemporary Mexican artists.

The museum showcases a vast collection of works spanning from the early 20th century to the present day, displayed across two galleries and admission is free.

Right next to the MACAY is the 100m long Pasaje de la Revolución, which shows changing sculpture exhibitions by Mexican and international artists.

Furthermore there is the Museo Casa Montejo, the restored home from Don Francisco de Montejo – the conqueror of Yucatán and founder of the city of Mérida. Admission is free, you should definitely stop by.

And if you want to dine at Plaza Grande, we recommend Restaurante Picheta, which is housed in a 350-year-old building next to the Palacio de Gobierno (the government building) and has a nice roof terrace.

Mercado Domingo

Mercado Domingo is held every Sunday on the main square. Plaza Grande and a section of Calle 60 extending to Parque Santa Lucía close to traffic and transforms into a big street market and fair. Besides the craft stands, there are also many food booths. 

This weekly market is a good place to pick up traditional crafts and clothing. Due to the weekly event Mérida en Domingo there are also many locals, but the market is aimed mainly at tourists and the prices are accordingly somewhat higher.

Events at Plaza Grande

Every Monday there is a traditional dance performance at Plaza Grande and the tradition of the ancient Mayan Ball Game Pok Ta Pok is kept alive during a weekly event on Wednesdays and on Saturdays. See also the overview of all weekly events in Mérida.