Mérida

The White City

subir

When we talk of exploring Yucatan, Merida is the starting point to get to know all the routes of the Mayan world. For 500 years Merida forged its vocation of great metropolis and departure point for the exploration of Yucatan. Founded on the Mayan city of Tho, after being colonized during the conquest it became the city of the Spanish government.

Currently, with its museums, parks, markets and outdoors cafés, Merida is a fascinating and cosmopolitan place, with its more than 900.000 inhabitants, mostly descendants of the Spanish and the Mayas.

Throughout Paseo and Prolongación Montejo one can find restaurants, hotels, bars, cafés, banks and businesses, with all the services to give the visitor a pleasant stay.

Merida’s anniversary arts festival

subir

The night of the 5 of January, like every year with the traditional alborada (dawn), Merida awakes to the voice of hundreds of troubadours that sing to the city in the eve of its anniversary. From that day more than 170 events will take place on days of intense cultural activity that will adorn the celebrations of the anniversary of the foundation of Merida, Yucatan. The Festival of the City rescues and shares its customs and traditions with its visitors through dance, music, theater, visual arts and literature spectacles.

Merida carnival

subir

Popular celebration, during the first weeks of February, it summons its citizens to the streets to enjoy the Paseo de Carnival: these celebrations to the God Momo, usually take place before lent. During five consecutive days the hustle and bustle reigns, as well as the joy and the participation of the community amusing itself with musical groups, parades and events throughout Paseo de Montejo.

Cultural autumn

subir

The Institute of Culture of Yucatan (ICY) programs an events season named Cultural Autumn, beginning in October. The shows take place in different stages like the Culture House, the beautiful José Peón Contreras theater, the Daniel Ayala Pérez theater and other important places, with plays, dance and plastic arts. A cultural interchange also takes place with the Cervantino Festival from Guanajuato.

Hanal Pixán (Day of dead)

subir

In Mayan it means “food for the souls”. This tradition goes back to antiquity to venerate the memory of relatives who have passed away. In towns of the interior of the state novenas take place, as well as prayers, offerings, and during the 1st and 2nd of November a visit to the cemetery is obligatory to pray for your loved ones; these dates are dedicated to spending time with the souls in their annual passing through by the earthly plane, when they “receive permission” to visit their relatives. The delicious mucbilpollos or pibes -a big tamal made of corn flour, stuffed with chicken and pork meat- are also made.

Yucatan fair

subir

During 15 days different exhibitions are presented of pedigree cattle and artisan craft, industrial, tourist and commercial samples, where the best of the production of the state is displayed. It takes place in November and there are equestrian competitions, charreadas, sport activities, cultural events and the roosters palenque, where artistic shows are given with figures of national and international reputation.

Mérida on Sunday

subir

Every Sunday of the year there are outdoor shows in different places in the city center. Worth noting are the traditional vaquería, custom born in the old haciendas of the state, where the women took care of the guests and their wives and in the end danced to Mayan sones combined with Spanish music, in honor of the landlord or owner of the hacienda. In this cultural event stands are placed with crafts and traditional yucatecan clothes, like the yucatecan huipiles, guayaberas, yucatecan antojitos (traditional Mexican snacks), etc.

Yucatecan music

subir

The geographic position of Yucatan, the ethnic composition of its inhabitants and its cultural links with the main European centers enabled the blossoming of a people of great artistic vocation, especially for music and poetry.

In the dawn of the XX century Ricardo Palmerin (Peregrina), Guty Cárdenas (Caminante del Mayab) and Pepe Dominguez (Granito de Sal) arose, who by giving music to the verses of some writings gave to life to the golden age of the yucatecan song. Without a doubt, Yucatan is an inexhaustible quarry of great composers and poets.

Cultural Mérida

subir

Merida lives a great cultural celebration every day of the year. The thousands of visitors from all over the world become spectators of its intense daily reality. Thus, any day you visit the city, a show will be waiting for you in the Historic City Center.

Location

subir

Gallery

subir