Izamal

🏛️ Izamal: between Mayan pyramids and colonial convents

📍 Location

• Located approximately 70 km east of Mérida, Izamal is nestled in the heart of the Yucatán Peninsula.
• It is easily accessible by car or bus, often integrated into the circuits between Chichen Itza, Valladolid and Mérida.

🌞 The Yellow City

• What immediately strikes you about Izamal is its bright ochre color : almost all the buildings in the center are painted in golden yellow, creating a sunny and warm atmosphere.
• This shade was said to have been chosen in honor of the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1993, but it also evokes the sacred colors of corn, pillar of Mayan culture.

🧬 Mayan heritage

• Izamal is one of the oldest religious centers of the Mayan world, founded around the 6th century.
• It was dedicated to Itzamná, creator god and patron of science, and to Kinich Kakmó, sun god.
• There are several pre-Hispanic pyramids, of which :

• Kinich Kakmó : one of the largest pyramids in the Yucatán, with a base covering almost one hectare.
• Itzamatul, Habuc, and other sacred mounds scattered throughout the city.

🏰 Colonial era and spirituality

• After the Spanish conquest, the settlers built the colonial city directly on the Mayan ruins, creating a unique cultural overlay.
• The Convent of San Antonio de Padua, built in the 16th century on an ancient Mayan acropolis, is one of the largest religious complexes in Latin America.

• Her open atrium is immense, lined with arcades, and offers a spectacular view of the city.
• It houses the Virgin of Izamal, a figure venerated throughout the Yucatán.

🎨 Atmosphere and local life

• Izamal is a peaceful town, where you can travel on foot, by bike or by traditional carriage.
• The cobbled streets, the colonial houses, the craft markets and the hammock workshops create a soft and welcoming atmosphere.
• The city is also known for its religious holidays, his traditional dances, and his local gastronomy : panuchos, salbutes, sopa de lima, and sweets made from papaya or coconut.

🧘‍♂️ Why Izamal is unique

It is a city where the sacred is everywhere : in the stones, the colors, the daily gestures. Izamal is a bridge between worlds, between heaven and earth, between the Mayan past and the Mexican present. She is poetic, spiritual and deeply rooted in the soul of Yucatán.