A striking recent discovery is the fact that Acanceh seems to have always been the name of this place, as proven by an ancient hieroglyphic text found in the town and only recently read by epigraphers.

The word “Acanceh” means “Lament (groan) of the Deer” in the Yucatec Maya language.

The history of Acanceh is not well known.

There are no known stelae or other glyphic inscriptions that can help identify its rulers or associations with other city-states. What is known of its time frame has been deduced from the examination of pottery fragments, burials, and architectural styles.

Archaeologists and researchers have made associations with the central Mexican highlands (Tikal and Dzibilchaltun). Being so near to Merida, ancient T’Ho, it is hard not to imagine a relationship with that site as well.

Acanceh, unlike most others, was never fully abandoned as it is mentioned in several 16th and 17th-century sources.

The site of Acanceh was never fully abandoned, as it has been uninterruptedly occupied since the Preclassic until the present. Acanceh was founded sometime between 300 and 500, during the Early Classic period. The city was founded by the Itza people.

The first mention of Acanceh from an archaeological perspective was made by the French explorer-photographer Desiré Charnay in 1888, who spoke of structures built with finely carved blocks, not unlike other Maya buildings in the area.

Adela Breton visited the site in 1908 and painted a full-size color copy of the famous frieze at the Palace of the Stuccoes.

Teobert Maler also visited in 1908 and took several photos of the frieze which have been of great value in helping to understand the composition and nature of the frieze which has since dramatically deteriorated.

There followed Edward Seler 1911, T.A. Willard 1928, Miguel Fernandez 1933, George Brainerd 1958, and Andrews IV 1965, among others.

The first archaeological work to have ever taken place in this old town was done by Austrian explorer-photographer Teobert Maler, who reported a mound of loose stone in the town’s main square, underneath which he found remains of a once-vaulted chamber as well as stucco masks.

Nevertheless, Maler did not consolidate the building. It is important to mention that Maler also photographed the unusual and fascinating stucco reliefs for which the Palace of the Stuccos, the second major structure in Acanceh, is named.

By 1933, a Mexican scholar noted that the decoration reported by Maler was all but gone. Nevertheless, through the use of what remained and Maler’s photographs, he was able to draw a reconstruction of the building before consolidating it.

It turned out that the building was of a typical early (Late Preclassic to Early Classic) Petén configuration known as a radial pyramid: one that is square and has staircases oriented towards all four cardinal directions.

The loose stone, however, points to the fact that there once was a later construction covering the early building visitors see today. INAH began consolidations and restorations in 1996 which continue to the present time.

Very recently, Acanceh was the focus of a major archaeological effort, conducted by Beatriz Quintal.

Quintal’s project uncovered a great deal of the hitherto unexcavated Palace of the Stuccos, brought to light a previously ignored but substantial pyramidal building in the town, and found four spectacular giant stucco masks on the main temple’s eastern, western, and northern façades.

Judging from the style of the large masks, the building may have well been built in the Late Preclassic, marking Acanceh as an important urban center as early as some 2,000 years ago.

Quintal’s project also included a general survey of the ancient town, which determined the existence of a minimum of 160 structures spread over an area of more than two square kilometers.

This ancient Maya city covered more than 4 square kilometers and had about 400 buildings. Three of these buildings have been restored and are open to the public, although recent excavations have uncovered more structures.

Archaeologists date the ruins of Acanceh to 300 CE and the dawn of the Classic Era. At this stage in Maya history, the great cities were much farther south in Guatemala and the Chiapas region of Mexico.

There’s a reason to suspect that Acanceh wasn’t even founded by the Maya – its oldest carvings are evocative of Teotihuacan, a powerful empire from northern Mexico.

In a rare juxtaposition of the pre- and post-Columbian religions, Acanceh’s central pyramid is found right across from the town cathedral.

The main pyramid of Acanceh

The main pyramid fronts on the north side of the plaza in the center of the modern town.

Mayan structures in populated towns were almost always demolished by Spaniards so that their stones could be used as material for the new churches, but Acanceh’s pyramid was allowed to survive.

It was first unearthed and explored by Teobert Maler in 1908.

The base measures about 30 meters square, and the height has been calculated at about 11 meters. It has rounded, inset corners, apron moldings, and recessed stairways.

An early sub-structure exhibiting large sun-god masks of K’inich Ahau has been uncovered near the top of the pyramid. Two masks flank each of the four main stairways and were originally painted red.

Though vandalized, they are still very impressive and resemble very closely those found at the site of Kohunlich 272 km to the south, and at Izamal just to the north.

On the east side of the substructure a smaller, inset stairway leads up to an inner chamber. A burial was discovered under the chamber floor which held the remains of a male and female, presumably of noble lineage.

What is striking here is that there is a fair amount of original smooth stucco remaining on the pyramid surface, especially the inner stairway, which helps to show how these structures looked in their finished state when actually in use.

The sub-structure has been dated to the Late Pre-Classic (300 B.C.-200 A.D.).
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The upper portion of the pyramid was once protected by a thatch roof. Unfortunately during a town celebration a few years back fireworks set the thatch ablaze resulting in damage to some of the stucco decorations.

These were restored, and a metal roof was installed in its place.

Four-tiered pyramidal structure

Behind the main pyramid is a four-tiered pyramidal structure, Structure 1B.

Structure 1B is just to the northeast of the main pyramid with which it forms a courtyard. It is smaller, about 4.5 meters in height, and has centrally positioned south and north-facing stairways. A ruined masonry chamber crowns the summit.

A third pyramid that surrounded the plaza was reported on by Desire Charnay in 188 but was dismantled to build the local train station. No drawings or information on this structure survives.

Acropolis

The other significant structural complex to be seen is the Acropolis. This is a massive platform supporting the remains of numerous buildings. It measures roughly 50 meters square with a height of 8 meters.

Early reports mention structures with interior chambers that once depicted now lost painted murals.

Palace of the Stuccoes

The most significant structure is the Palace of the Stuccoes. This building, containing four vaulted rooms, was unearthed in 1906 by residents quarrying the site for building materials.

This practice, unfortunately, has been going on for centuries, and many sites have been severely disturbed while others destroyed and their history lost.

Contained on the upper north-facing facade of this structure is a magnificent stucco frieze, both in style and theme.

It exhibits a fabulous display of intricately molded stuccoed deities, animals, and birds, either in natural or anthropomorphic form, and all once brightly colored. It measures about 2 meters in height by 415 meters in length.

At the time of its discovery, there were 20 figures identified with an additional one thought destroyed. It was divided into two rows, painted in brilliant colors, and in near-perfect condition.

Through neglect and vandalism, it is now a pale shadow of its former self with many of the figures obliterated.

The frieze was first reported on by Adela Briton in 1908. Her colored paintings, and the photos taken by Teobert Maler later that year, are the best-known resources for interpretation.

The frieze is flanked by two large anthropomorphic birds whose wings contain flaked limestone chips embedded into the stucco to simulate feathers.

A series of 21 (possibly more) cartouches are divided in a staggered fashion into two registers.

The upper register shows mostly birds and animals that either fly or live in treetops, while the lower register exhibits terrestrial animals. Two individuals interspace the scene which has both an upper and lower border.

The upper border displays Central Mexican water/rain symbols, while the lower border may exhibit astronomical symbols. On the lower register, a squirrel that is depicted is very similar to one seen on the beautiful frieze located at Balam Ku.

One can only imagine how incredible this may have looked in its entirety if the frieze continued around the structure as some have suggested.

The frieze has baffled archaeologists as to just what it may represent. Some believe it could have astronomical connotations relating to the Zodiac. Others think that the figures may represent spirit companions, or that it is a depiction related to the Underworld.

A small structural group has recently received some attention. Structure 6 has been deemed an underground observatory, and dates to the Early Classic Period (200-600 A.D.).

The semi-circular structure is set within a raised platform base, though the observatory chamber itself does not penetrate below ground level. During the equinox, the Sun enters through an opening in the stone roof and displays no shadow to those gathered below.

The Parroquia de Nuestra Senora de la Natividad dates to the 16th Century and is currently painted a brilliant yellow.

The contrast of the yellow, along with the day’s deep blue sky, made for some beautiful pictures.

The interior of the church is quite austere, as is typical in the smaller Yucatecan churches.

This is a very simple chapel accessed by a series of steps. Inside there are a few pews and a framed picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The chapel dates to the 16th century.

Archaeologists working at the Mayan site of Acanceh in the Yucatan have unearthed a building that was used as an observatory by ancient priests during the Early Classic period (CE 300-600).

One of the oldest observatories found to date, the semi-circular structure is aligned with the sun and Venus, a planet of immense symbolism for the Maya.

The archaeologists discovered that when Venus reaches its maximum brilliance in the north every 584 days the building’s alignment marks the planet’s location with light and shadows on the southern wall.

It also records the moment when the sun reaches its zenith and shadows disappear for a short time.

During the spring and autumn equinoxes in March and September, the setting sun is visible through the two doorways of the observatory and the rays also hit the Pyramid of the Masks, the largest and most important building in Acanceh.

Five masks on the Pyramid façade portray Kinich Ahau, the sun god, reinforcing the temple’s symbolism.

The easiest and cheapest way is to take a second-class bus from the Merida bus station.
You can also take a “collectivo” from Mérida to Acanceh.
Or just take a taxi from Merida to Acanceh (0:30 min).

Mérida is located in the northwest part of the state of Yucatán, which occupies the northern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula.

The city is also located in the Chicxulub Crater. It has a very flat topography and is only 9 m above sea level.

The land outside of Mérida is covered with smaller scrub trees and former henequen fields. Almost no surface water exists, but several cenotes (underground springs and rivers) are found across the state.

Climate

Merida features a tropical wet and dry climate. The city lies in the trade wind belt close to the Tropic of Cancer, with the prevailing wind from the east. Mérida’s climate is hot and its humidity is moderate to high, depending on the time of year.

The average annual high temperature is 33°C, ranging from 28°C in January to 36°C in May, but temperatures often rise above 38°C in the afternoon during this time.

Low temperatures range between 18°C in January to 23°C in May and June. It is most often a few degrees hotter in Mérida than in coastal areas due to its inland location and low elevation.

The rainy season runs from June through October, associated with the Mexican monsoon which draws warm, moist air landward. Easterly waves and tropical storms also affect the area during this season.

Mérida was named after the Spanish town of the same name.
It is the largest of the four cities in the world that share the name Mérida, the other three being in Spain, Venezuela, and the Philippines.

Mérida has been nicknamed “The White City” (La Ciudad Blanca), though the exact origin of this moniker is not clear.

Some explanations include the common color of its old buildings painted and decorated with “cal” (though anyone visiting modern Mérida can see that buildings are not all white nowadays) or the fact that the residents keep the city particularly clean.

There were three Spanish conquistadors named “Francisco de Montejo”:

• Francisco de Montejo “el Adelantado” (“The Lieutenant”, the eldest)
• Francisco de Montejo y León “el Mozo” (“The Boy”, his son)
• Francisco de Montejo “el Sobrino” (“The Nephew”)

Mérida was founded in 1542 by Montejo y León (“el Mozo”) and named after the town of Mérida in Extremadura, Spain.

It was built on the site of the Maya city of T’hó, which was also called Ichkanzihóo or Ichcaanzihó (“City of Five Hills”) in reference to its pyramids. T’ho had been a center of Mayan culture and activity for centuries: because of this, some historians consider Mérida the oldest continually occupied city in the Americas.

Carved Maya stones from ancient T’ho were widely used to build the Spanish colonial buildings that are plentiful in downtown Mérida and are visible, for instance, in the walls of the main cathedral.

Much of Mérida’s architecture from the colonial period through the 18th century and 19th centuries is still standing in the historic center of the city. From colonial times through the mid-19th century, Mérida was a walled city intended to protect the Peninsular and Criollo residents from periodic revolts by the indigenous Maya.

Several of the old Spanish city gates survive, but modern Mérida has expanded well beyond the old city walls.

Late in the 19th century and the early 20th Century, the area surrounding Mérida prospered from the production of henequén. For a brief period, around the turn of the 20th century, Mérida was said to house more millionaires than any other city in the world.

The result of this concentration of wealth can still be seen today. Many large and elaborate homes still line the main avenue called Paseo de Montejo, though few are occupied today by individual families.

Many of these homes have been restored and now serve as office buildings for banks and insurance companies. Korean immigration to Mexico began in 1905 when more than a thousand people arrived in Yucatan from the city of Incheon.

These first Korean migrants settled around Merida as workers in henequen plantations.

Mérida has one of the largest centro histórico districts in the Americas (surpassed only by Mexico City and Havana, Cuba).

Colonial homes line the city streets to this day, in various states of disrepair and renovation; the historical center of Mérida is currently undergoing a minor renaissance as more and more people are moving into the old buildings and reviving their former glory.

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).

In June 2007, Mérida moved its city museum to the renovated Post Office building next to the downtown market. The Museum of the City of Mérida houses important artifacts from the city’s history, as well as an art gallery.

Mérida hosted the VI Summit of Association of Caribbean States, in 2014.

Mérida is the cultural and financial capital of the Yucatán Peninsula, as well as the capital city of the state of Yucatán. In recent years, important science competitions and World events have been held in Mérida – FITA Archery World Cup Finals, the International Cosmic Ray Conference, a Physics Olympiad, etc.

Mérida has a “centro histórico” (“hisctoric center”) typical of colonial Spanish cities.

The street grid is based on odd-numbered streets running east/west and even-numbered streets running north/south, with Calles 60 and 61 bounding the “Plaza Grande” in the heart of the city.

The more affluent neighborhoods are located to the north and the most densely populated areas are to the south.

The “Centro Histórico” area is becoming increasingly popular with Americans and other expats who are rescuing and restoring the classic colonial structures.

Historic sites

• Monumento à la Patria (1956)
• Palacio de Gobierno (1892)
• Catedral de San Ildefonso (1598), first in the continental Americas
• Barrio y Capilla de Santa Lucía (1575)
• Barrio y Templo Parroquial del antiguo pueblo de Itzimná
• Barrio y Templo Parroquial de San Cristóbal (1796)
• Barrio y Templo Parroquial de San Sebastián (1706)
• Barrio y Templo Parroquial de Santa Ana (1733)
• Barrio y Templo Parroquial de Santa Lucía (1575)
• Barrio y Templo Parroquial de Santiago (1637)
• Capilla de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (1706)
• Capilla y parque de San Juan Bautista (1552)
• Casa de Montejo (1549)
• Antiguo convento de Nuestra Señora de la Consolación (Nuns)(1596)
• Iglesia del Jesús o de la Tercera Orden (Third Order) (1618)
• Templo de San Juan de Dios (1562)

Mérida has served as the American Capital of Culture in the years 2000 and 2017.

Each year, the MACAY Museum in Mérida mounts a new sculpture installation, featuring works from Mexico and one other chosen country. Each exhibit remains for ten months of the year. In 2007, sculptures on Paseo de Montejo featured works by artists from Mexico and Japan.

For English speakers or would-be speakers, Mérida has the Mérida English Library, a lending library with an extensive collection of English books, videos, tapes, and children’s books. The library is also the site for expatriate meetings, children’s storytelling hours, and other cultural events.

Mérida is also home to the Yucatan Symphony Orchestra, which plays regular seasons at the Jose Peon Contreras Theatre on Calle 60 and features classical music, jazz, and opera.

Cultural centers

• Centro Cultural Andrés Quintana Roo, in Santa Ana, with galleries and artistic events
• Centro Cultural Olimpo. Next to the Municipal Palace in the Plaza Grande
• Casa de la Cultura del Mayab, the Casa de Artesanías (house of handcrafts) resides there. It’s in downtown Mérida
• Centro Estatal de Bellas Artes (CEBA). Across the El Centenario, offers classes and education in painting, music, theater, ballet, jazz, folklore, and Spanish dance, among others
• Centro Cultural del Niño Yucateco (CECUNY) in Mejorada, in a 16th-century building, with classes and workshops specifically designed for kids
• Centro Cultural Dante is a private center within one of the major bookstores in Mérida (Librería Dante)

Museums

• Gran Museo del Mundo Maya, Yucatán’s Mayan Museum, offers a view of Yucatán’s history and identity
• Museo de Antropología e Historia “Palacio Cantón”, Yucatán’s History and Archaeology Museum
• Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY), in the heart of the city right next to the Cathedral. Permanent and rotating pictorial expositions
• Museo de la Canción Yucateca Asociación Civil in Mejorada, honors the trova yucateca authors, Ricardo Palmerín, Guty Cárdenas, Juan Acereto, Pastor Cervera y Luis Espinosa Alcalá
• Museo de la Ciudad de Mérida, in the old Correos (post office) building since 2007 offers information about the city from the prehispanic times’ Tho’ or Ichcaanzihó to current days
• Museo de Historia Natural, natural history museum
• Museo de Arte Popular, a popular art museum, offers a view of popular artistry and handcrafts among ethnic Mexican groups and cultures
• Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán

Major theaters with regular shows

• Teatro José Peón Contreras
• Teatro Daniel Ayala Pérez
• Teatro Mérida (Now Teatro Armando Manzanero)
• Teatro Colón
• Teatro Universitario Felipe Carrillo Puerto
• Teatro Héctor Herrera

Mérida and the state of Yucatán have traditionally been isolated from the rest of the country by geography, creating a unique culture. The conquistadors found the Mayan culture to be incredibly resilient, and their attempts to eradicate Mayan tradition, religion, and culture had only moderate success.

The surviving remnants of the Mayan culture can be seen every day, in speech, dress, and in both written and oral histories. It is especially apparent in holidays like Hanal Pixan, a Mayan/Catholic Day of the Dead celebration.

It falls on November 1 and 2 (one day for adults, and one for children) and is commemorated by elaborate altars dedicated to dead relatives. It is a compromise between the two religions with crucifixes mingled with skull decorations and food sacrifices/offerings.

Merida is a perfect city to stay there for a while exploring the surrounding areas in daily tours on your own or guided ones.

Suggested 1-day tours from Merida:

• Uxmal + Kabah
• Uxmal + Kabah + Sayil + Xlapak + Labna + Chacmultun (Puuc Route)
• Acanceh + Mayapan
• Ake + Izamal
• Mani
• Dzibilchatun
• Progreso + Xcambo
• Celestun + Ria Celestun
• Chichen Itza

For more information about all these suggested places to visit and how to get there, use the search form on our website or related tags.

Bus

City service is mostly provided by four local transportation companies: Unión de Camioneros de Yucatán (UCY), Alianza de Camioneros de Yucatán (ACY), Rápidos de Mérida, and Minis 2000.

Bus transportation is at the same level or better than that of bigger cities like Guadalajara or Mexico City. Climate-controlled buses and micro-bus (smaller in size) are not uncommon.

The main bus terminal (CAME) offers first-class (ADO) and luxury services (ADO PLATINO, ADO GL) to most southern Mexico cities outside Yucatán with a fleet consisting of Mercedes Benz and Volvo buses.

Shorter intrastate routes are serviced by many smaller terminals around the city, mainly downtown.

Taxis

Several groups and unions offer Taxi transportation: Frente Único de los Trabajadores del Volante (FUTV) (white taxis), Unión de Taxistas Independientes (UTI), and Radiotaxímetros de Yucatán, among others. Some of them offer metered service, but most work based on a flat rate depending on the destination.

Competition has made it of more common use than it was years ago.

Taxis can be either found at one of many predefined places around the city (Taxi de Sitio), waved off along the way, or called in. Usually, a taxi will respond and arrive within 5 minutes.

Another type of Taxi service is called “Colectivo”. Colectivo taxis work like small buses on a predefined route and for a small fare. Usually accommodating 8 to 10 people.

Uber also offers services in Merida

Air

Mérida is serviced by Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport with daily non-stop services to major cities in Mexico (D.F, Monterrey, Villahermosa, Cancún, Guadalajara, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Toluca) and international (Miami, Houston, La Havana) and usually receiving charter flight services to and from Europe and Canada.

Also, there is a good amount of freight and cargo planes moving in and out. As of 2006, more than a million passengers were using this airport every year, (1.3 in 2007) and it is under ASUR administration.

Train

There is a passenger train service to the city. The Meridano train runs from Mexico City to Merida.

Roads

Main roads in and out of Mérida:

• Mérida-Progreso (Federal 261), 33 km long with 8 lanes. It joins the city with Yucatán’s biggest port city, Progreso
• Mérida-Umán-Campeche (Federal 180), connects with the city of San Francisco de Campeche
• Mérida-Kantunil-Cancún (Federal 180), 4 lane road that becomes a Toll road at kantunil. It joins Mérida with Chichén Itzá, Valladolid, and ultimately Cancún
• Mérida-Tizimín (Federal 176) connects Mérida with Tizimín (2nd. largest city in Yucatán)
• Mérida-Teabo-Peto is known as Mundo Maya Road Carretera del Mundo Maya, its utilized in both the “convent route” Ruta de los Conventos, and linking the ancient maya city of Mayapán and Chetumal, the state capital of Quintana Roo