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Parks and Cathedrals
Mérida is full of pretty parks and impressive churches. When the two come together - as with the Plaza Grande - it creates a popular hot spot in Mérida.
Mérida
2023
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No trip to Mérida is complete without taking a picture with the colorful Mérida sign. You will find the Mérida letters at Plaza Grande. Plaza Grande - officially "Plaza de la Independencia" - is the main square of Mérida and the oldest square in the city.
It is a pretty park where you can go for a walk or sit on one of the many benches in the shade of the laurel trees and watch the hustle and bustle around. The surrounding buildings are also among the oldest and most important in Yucatán.
Palacio de Gobierno is located directly opposite the Cathedral de Mérida on the north side of Plaza Grande. The balcony of the salon on the first floor offers a beautiful view of the Plaza Grande and the Cathedral.
Mérida's twin-towered "Cathedral of San Ildefonso" is the largest and oldest church in the entire Yucatán Peninsula.
The Spaniards built the cathedral on the site of the Mayan ruins of Tiho and made of their stones. You can visit the Cathedral from 6:00 am to noon and 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
The Church of Jesus ("Iglesia de Jesus") in Mérida is located at Parque Santa Lucia (Calle 60, 59-A).
The church was built by Jesuits in 1618. Iglesia de Jesus was also built from the stones of a destroyed Maya temple that occupied the site.
The Parque a la Maternidad is right in the historic center next to the church Iglesia de Jesus and José Peón Contreras Theater.
There is a sculpture in the middle of the park as a monument to motherhood. The statue, made of light marble (dated October 12, 1928), is a replica of the original work by sculptor André Lenoir, which is in Paris.
Parque Hildalgo or Parque de los Hidalgos is a small park - or square - with some benches and a few shady trees right in the historic center next to the other side of church Iglesia de Jesus and one block from Plaza Grande. A large part of the square is occupied by the "Monumento a Manuel Cepeda Peraza".
Parque de Santa Lucia is a small park (and one of the oldest), right in the heart of Mérida, surrounded by colonial houses and a small church. Every Thursday night there is live music and dancing.
Iglesia de Santa Lucía is a small, somewhat hidden church next to the Parque de Santa Lucía from the 16th century.
The construction of the church was completed in 1575, making it one of the oldest churches in Merida.
Santa Ana square (Calle 60x47) isn't very impressive, but in one corner of the square you will find shops and cafes...
...that offer delicious traditional Yucatecan cuisine at a great price - like cochinita pibil (pulled pork) or sopa de lima (lime soup with chicken).
A few minutes later, it's raining proverbial cats and dogs... Here you can see the famous "Love Seats" that are in many parks. They have been around since the 17th century. According to legend, a father designed the chairs for his daughter to create some distance when she met with her boyfriend.
Parroquia de Santa Ana (Calle 60x45), a catholic church, stands on the north side of Parque de Santa Ana.
Along with the neighborhood, the Santa Ana Church was built and consecrated in 1733. It has a Latin cross pattern on an atrium, built apparently where the Maya religious structure had stood.
On the right side of the entrance is a stone tablet. Santa Ana neighborhood was formed at the initiative of Governor and Captain General Antonio de Figueroa and Silva Lazo de la Vega.
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