UXMAL - SEPTEMBER 1983

IN THE LAND OF THE MAYAS!

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MÉRIDA

After Oaxaca and Villahermosa, we flew Aeromexico to Mérida. Mérida was founded on January 6, 1542, by Francisco de Montejo (a Spanish Conquistador known as «El Adelantado») and is the capital and largest city of the Yucatán state. It was built over the Maya city of T'ho, and is nicknamed «The White City», both for the colour of its buildings and the fact that the residents keep it particularly clean.


"HOLIDAY INN - By that time there was no Hyatt Regency skyscraper yet, so we stayed at the Holiday Inn. The Holiday Inn is located at Paseo de Montejo, one of the most beautiful city's avenues, and has a nice touch of colonial architecture, since it was one of the richest haciendas in 1542, when the city was founded"


"CASA MONTEJO is the building that was originally built for the Adelantado. From such building, only the beautiful front is preserved, but it shows a great example of the civil architecture of Mexico"



"SAN ILDEFONSO CATHEDRAL, built between 1556 and 1599 by Juan Miguel Aguero in the place that once was occupied by the Mayor church, is one of the oldest cathedrals in the American continent. Its foundations were built with the huge stones from the pyramids dismantled by the Spaniards"


"PALACE"

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UXMAL

The archeological centre of Uxmal is located northwest of the Yucatan peninsula, roughly 50 km south-west from Mérida. Uxmal (the name meant «built three times» in the Mayan language) is one of the most important parts of the late classic period (600-900 AC) of the Mayan culture, and is rated as the finest Mayan archaeological site. It was the greatest metropolitan and religious centre in the Puuc hills.




"THE PYRAMID OF THE MAGICIAN, at 30 m, is the tallest structure in Uxmal. According to an ancient legend, a magician-god named Itzamna was supposed to have constructed the pyramid in one night. From archaeological excavation however, we know that the pyramid was constructed in five phases. The legendary association of the pyramid with a magician may be understood as an indication that the structure had ancient use as a mystery school and ceremonial centre. The entire city is aligned with reference to the position of the planets then known, and the pyramid is oriented so that its stairway on the west faces the setting sun at the time of summer solstice"



"ARCHAEOLOGICAL CAMP"


"GOVERNOUR'S PALACE"


"TOURIST GROUP"


"ANOTHER PYRAMID"



"NUNNERY QUADRANGLE - An incredible decor"


"MISSION INN BREAK between the day visit and the light and sound show"




"LIGHT AND SOUND"