DK Travel : Cancún and the Yucatán : History & Culture

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Izamal

Known as La Ciudad Dorada, the Golden City, because of the ocher wash of its buildings, this is the most complete and unchanging of Yucatán colonial towns. At its heart is the largest of the Yucatán’s Franciscan monasteries (see Maní Monastery), and a short distance from this are the glowering pyramids of a much older Mayan city. Horse-drawn carriages, victorias , are a favorite way of getting around.
Izamal

The most unaltered Spanish colonial city in the Yucatán, known as the ciudad dorada or “Golden City” because of the color of its buildings, is centered on the huge monastery of San Antonio, begun in 1549 as the headquarters of the Franciscan friars in Yucatán and the shrine of Our Lady of Izamal, the region’s patron. A short walk away are the remains of three pyramids, traces of a much older Mayan city (see also Izamal, San Antonio de Padua, Izamal).
Kabah

This site was the second most important of the Puuc Cities after Uxmal, and an imposing arch on its west side marks the start of the sacbé road (see Cozumel and the South) that linked it to its larger ally. Its Codz Poop or “Palace of Masks” is the most extravagant example of Mayan carving: the extraordinary façade is covered with 250 faces of the long-nosed rain-god Chac. The Palacio and Temple of the Columns are other classics of refined Puuc architecture.
Kabah

Second in importance among the Puuc cities (seeThe Puuc Cities) after Uxmal, to which it was linked by a sacbé or Mayan road. A grand arch over the end of this path forms a pair with the arch at Uxmal (seeTemple of the Centipede and the Arch). The great highlight is the Codz-Poop or “Palace of Masks,” with a façade that has over 250 long-nosed Chac faces.
La Mejorada, Mérida

This large church with a very Spanish-looking plain façade was built as part of a major Franciscan friary in 1640. It was the last occupied monastery in Mérida, and closed only in 1857. Behind the church, some of the former monastery buildings now house a school of architecture.
Labná

The Arch of Labná (wonderfully drawn by Frederick Catherwood, ) exemplifies the sophistication of Puuc architecture. Nearby, the town’s Palacio is only slightly smaller than Sayil’s, and was divided into seven patios – the part to the left was the home of the lords of Labná, the patios to the right (east) were for servants. The setting is especially lovely, in tranquil woods full of birds.
Labná

One of the most beautiful of all Mayan sites, in a wooded valley full of colorful birds. Walking around it gives a strong impression of the life that went on here. Though small, it has fine buildings, above all the Arch of Labná.
Las Monjas, Mérida

The church of “The Nuns” was built in the 1590s as a chapel for one of the first closed convents in the Americas. The castle-like mirador, or watchtower, with its unusual loggia (covered balcony) was built so that the nuns could take the air without leaving the convent. Sombre metal grills inside the church recall the separation that was kept between nuns and lay worshippers.
Loltún Caves

This vast cave complex is both a stunning natural phenomenon and ancient Mayan site. It has been occupied by humans longer than anywhere else in the Yucatán, from remote prehistory right up until the 19th century. The ancient Maya lived here, mined the caves, and used them for rituals. Guided tours take you through 2 km (1.5 miles) of caves, but the network extends much further. The rock formations are awe-inspiring, and a special feature of Loltún is its strange changes of temperature, from fierce heat to chilly breezes.
Maní

Now wonderfully sleepy, this town was important at the time of the Spanish Conquest, and contains the oldest Franciscan missionary monastery in the Yucatán, the scene of dramatic events in 1562 (seeManí Monastery). The town was the seat of Tutul Xiu, the first of the Mayan lords to accept Spanish authority in 1542. The monastery and town square occupy the top of an old Mayan temple-platform.