Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Mérida, Yucatán
Mérida (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmeɾiða] ⓘ; Yucatec Maya: Joꞌ) is the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán, and the largest city in southern Mexico. The city is also the seat of the eponymous municipality. It is located slightly inland from the northwest corner of the Yucatán Peninsula, about 35 km (22 mi) from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In 2020, it had a population of 921,770 while its metropolitan area, which also includes the cities of Kanasín and Umán, had a population of 1,316,090.
Mérida is also the cultural and financial capital of the Yucatán Peninsula. The city's rich cultural heritage is a product of the syncretism of the Maya and Spanish cultures during the colonial era. The Cathedral of Mérida, Yucatán was built in the late 16th century with stones from nearby Maya ruins and is the oldest cathedral in the mainland Americas. The city has the third largest old town district on the continent. It was the first city to be named American Capital of Culture, and the only city that has received the title twice.
Mérida is among the safest cities of Mexico as well as in the Americas. In 2015, the city was certified as an International Safe Community by the Karolinska Institute of Sweden for its high level of public security. Forbes has ranked Mérida three times as one of the three best cities in Mexico to live, invest and do business. In 2022, the UN-Habitat's City Prosperity Index recognized Mérida as the city with the highest quality of life in Mexico.
Mérida was named after Mérida, Spain because the Maya ruins that the Spanish conquistadors found in the settlement of Ti'ho reminded them of the Roman ruins of Augusta Emerita. Over time, the city acquired the nickname "La Ciudad Blanca" (The White City).[citation needed] This nickname may be due to the white color of the limestone used to paint the façades of the city's colonial buildings. This hypothesis is reinforced by the fact that the city can be seen from outer space as a large whitish area in the middle of the immense green forest that covers the Yucatán Peninsula. Other cities in Hispanic America share the same nickname for this reason, like Arequipa and Popayan. Folktale says that the name go back to the founding of the city when the Spanish conquistadors – motivated by security reasons and given the persistent rebellion of the indigenous Maya people – decided to allow only white-skinned Europeans to live in the city. Old arches at the entrance to the city would have been built for this reason, and beyond these were the Indigenous communities. However, the first arches were not commissioned until 1690, almost 150 years after the city's foundation. The arch of San Juan and the one on 59th street marked the beginning of roads to Campeche and Izamal, respectively. Other arches served only decorative purposes, like the one Juan Quijano had erected in 1760 in front of his house at the intersection of 65th and 56th streets, which has since been demolished. Additionally, the Nahua indigenous troops who accompanied Montejo's troops in the conquest of Yucatán settled in the neighborhoods of San Cristóbal, Santiago, and San Román, where they enjoyed the privilege of exemption from taxes for their military assistance.
Mérida was founded in 1542 by the Spanish conquistadors, including Francisco de Montejo the Younger and Juan de la Cámara, and named after the town of Mérida in Extremadura, Spain. It was built on the site of the Maya city of Ti'ho (/tʼχoʼ/), which was also called Ichkanzihóo or Ichcaanzihó (/iʃkan'siχo/; "City of Five Hills") in reference to its pyramids. Many of the carved stones of the ruins of ancient Ti'ho were used in the construction of the early Spanish buildings of Mérida. These stones are visible, for instance, in the walls of the main cathedral. From colonial times through the mid-19th century, Mérida was a walled city designed to protect the peninsulares and criollos from periodic revolts by the indigenous Maya people.
In the late 19th century, the area surrounding Mérida prospered from the cultivation of henequen, the fiber of which was used in the production of rope and twine, as well as for the production of licor del henequén, a traditional Mexican alcoholic drink. By the beginning of the 20th century, manufacturing focused mainly on tobacco, molasses, rum, soap, and leather products. Korean immigration to Mexico began in 1905 when more than a thousand people arrived in Yucatán from the city of Jemulpo. These first Korean immigrants settled around Mérida as workers in henequen plantations.
In August 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the city on his third trip to Mexico. The city has been host to two bilateral United States – Mexico conferences, the first in 1999 (Bill Clinton – Ernesto Zedillo) and the second in 2007 (George W. Bush – Felipe Calderón, which resulted in the creation of the Mérida Initiative). Mérida hosted the VI Summit of Association of Caribbean States in April 2014. In recent years, important sports competitions have been held in Mérida, such as the World Cup of the World Archery Federation. The city has also hosted important scientific meetings such as the International Cosmic Ray Conference.
Mérida is located in the northwest part of the state of Yucatán, which occupies the northern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula. To the north is Progreso and the Gulf of Mexico. Valladolid and Tizimín are to the east, Celestún is to the west, and the city of Campeche is located to the southwest. There are many important Maya archae sites in the area, including Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Oxkintok, Sayil and Kabah.
Hub AI
Mérida, Yucatán AI simulator
(@Mérida, Yucatán_simulator)
Mérida, Yucatán
Mérida (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmeɾiða] ⓘ; Yucatec Maya: Joꞌ) is the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán, and the largest city in southern Mexico. The city is also the seat of the eponymous municipality. It is located slightly inland from the northwest corner of the Yucatán Peninsula, about 35 km (22 mi) from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. In 2020, it had a population of 921,770 while its metropolitan area, which also includes the cities of Kanasín and Umán, had a population of 1,316,090.
Mérida is also the cultural and financial capital of the Yucatán Peninsula. The city's rich cultural heritage is a product of the syncretism of the Maya and Spanish cultures during the colonial era. The Cathedral of Mérida, Yucatán was built in the late 16th century with stones from nearby Maya ruins and is the oldest cathedral in the mainland Americas. The city has the third largest old town district on the continent. It was the first city to be named American Capital of Culture, and the only city that has received the title twice.
Mérida is among the safest cities of Mexico as well as in the Americas. In 2015, the city was certified as an International Safe Community by the Karolinska Institute of Sweden for its high level of public security. Forbes has ranked Mérida three times as one of the three best cities in Mexico to live, invest and do business. In 2022, the UN-Habitat's City Prosperity Index recognized Mérida as the city with the highest quality of life in Mexico.
Mérida was named after Mérida, Spain because the Maya ruins that the Spanish conquistadors found in the settlement of Ti'ho reminded them of the Roman ruins of Augusta Emerita. Over time, the city acquired the nickname "La Ciudad Blanca" (The White City).[citation needed] This nickname may be due to the white color of the limestone used to paint the façades of the city's colonial buildings. This hypothesis is reinforced by the fact that the city can be seen from outer space as a large whitish area in the middle of the immense green forest that covers the Yucatán Peninsula. Other cities in Hispanic America share the same nickname for this reason, like Arequipa and Popayan. Folktale says that the name go back to the founding of the city when the Spanish conquistadors – motivated by security reasons and given the persistent rebellion of the indigenous Maya people – decided to allow only white-skinned Europeans to live in the city. Old arches at the entrance to the city would have been built for this reason, and beyond these were the Indigenous communities. However, the first arches were not commissioned until 1690, almost 150 years after the city's foundation. The arch of San Juan and the one on 59th street marked the beginning of roads to Campeche and Izamal, respectively. Other arches served only decorative purposes, like the one Juan Quijano had erected in 1760 in front of his house at the intersection of 65th and 56th streets, which has since been demolished. Additionally, the Nahua indigenous troops who accompanied Montejo's troops in the conquest of Yucatán settled in the neighborhoods of San Cristóbal, Santiago, and San Román, where they enjoyed the privilege of exemption from taxes for their military assistance.
Mérida was founded in 1542 by the Spanish conquistadors, including Francisco de Montejo the Younger and Juan de la Cámara, and named after the town of Mérida in Extremadura, Spain. It was built on the site of the Maya city of Ti'ho (/tʼχoʼ/), which was also called Ichkanzihóo or Ichcaanzihó (/iʃkan'siχo/; "City of Five Hills") in reference to its pyramids. Many of the carved stones of the ruins of ancient Ti'ho were used in the construction of the early Spanish buildings of Mérida. These stones are visible, for instance, in the walls of the main cathedral. From colonial times through the mid-19th century, Mérida was a walled city designed to protect the peninsulares and criollos from periodic revolts by the indigenous Maya people.
In the late 19th century, the area surrounding Mérida prospered from the cultivation of henequen, the fiber of which was used in the production of rope and twine, as well as for the production of licor del henequén, a traditional Mexican alcoholic drink. By the beginning of the 20th century, manufacturing focused mainly on tobacco, molasses, rum, soap, and leather products. Korean immigration to Mexico began in 1905 when more than a thousand people arrived in Yucatán from the city of Jemulpo. These first Korean immigrants settled around Mérida as workers in henequen plantations.
In August 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the city on his third trip to Mexico. The city has been host to two bilateral United States – Mexico conferences, the first in 1999 (Bill Clinton – Ernesto Zedillo) and the second in 2007 (George W. Bush – Felipe Calderón, which resulted in the creation of the Mérida Initiative). Mérida hosted the VI Summit of Association of Caribbean States in April 2014. In recent years, important sports competitions have been held in Mérida, such as the World Cup of the World Archery Federation. The city has also hosted important scientific meetings such as the International Cosmic Ray Conference.
Mérida is located in the northwest part of the state of Yucatán, which occupies the northern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula. To the north is Progreso and the Gulf of Mexico. Valladolid and Tizimín are to the east, Celestún is to the west, and the city of Campeche is located to the southwest. There are many important Maya archae sites in the area, including Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Oxkintok, Sayil and Kabah.