It was right here, in the land of pheasant and the deer where this gorgeous city emerged. A place of magical Colonial architecture and European art, rich in folklore and gastronomy.

The city of Merida, framed by its beautiful clear and bright sky, is well-known by the cordiality of its people, its white houses, palaces, boulevards and monuments; called "la ciudad blanca" (the white city), due to the ancient tradition of painting in this color almost every facade.

Even though Merida is a modern city, you can still feel its comfortable provincial atmosphere, filled with trees and green areas that evoke its great past and make it different from the rest of Mexico's Colonial cities.

People in Yucatan carry music in their veins; they gather every day to dance and sing in concerts, serenades or any kind of cultural and folkloric celebration, showing extraordinary rhythm, grace and taste for the arts. There are few places filled with history and culture as the Cathedral, considered to be the oldest building of its kind in America. Other interesting places are the "Peon Contreras" theater, with an important European influence, and the Hacienda Montejo, house of the founding family of the city.

You can also take a look at the Canton Palace, home of the Regional Anthropology and History Museum, "Museo a la Patria" and, of course, the Montejo Boulevard, with its European-style mansions and fascinating shopping area.

• CATHEDRAL: The building process of this church, the first one in America, took over forty years to be concluded. Inside, you can see the "Christ of Unity", carved on birch wood, placed over a mahogany cross, considered to be the largest indoors sculpture of Christ in the world.

  Oriented to the east, 42 meters high, its facade is simple and ornament-free; It has three access doors, as well as a big arch and two towers, each topped with a crown.

  The inside was described by Manuel Toussaint as one of the most noble, pure and dignifying places among all Mexican Cathedrals.

• GOVERNMENT PALACE: It was built similar to the old royal houses, from where you can have a great view of the plaza.

  It was named Government palace after Mexico's Independence, but by the end of the nineteenth century, it was destroyed in order to build the actual palace.

  Inside, there are 27 murals along the gallery, the stairway and the History room, painted by Fernando Castro Pacheco, representing significant history moments of Yucatan.

• CASA MONTEJO: Casa Montejo was built in the sixteenth century, between 1549 and 1549. It was the home of Merida's founder, and its facade is partially preserved today.

  In the higher part of the gate is the family code of arms, depicting an eagle surrounded by wild vegetation.

• "PEON CONTRERAS" THEATER: This theater was inaugurated in 1879, with the play "The Sacrifice of Life", from the poet and dramaturgy Jose Peon Contreras named in his honor.

  Since that day, the most important cultural events, such as painting and photographic displays in Merida have taken place there.

• REGIONAL MUSEUM OF ANTROPOLOGY AND HISTORY: This splendid building, located on the Montejo Boulevard, is the perfect place to know about Yucatan historical legacy, due to the vast collection shown in ten different rooms that house very valuable pieces, such as like the "estela de Tabi", sculpted in stone, or the jades from the sacred deep well of chichen-itza.

  Every piece exhibited in this museum collected from the archeological sites in Yucatan, shows the impressive development of the Mayan culture.

• MUSEO A LA PATRIA: This monument, located on Montejo Boulevard; shows a historical synopsis of our nation, including personalities, facts, and many symbols of our culture

• MONTEJO BOULEVARD: The idea of building this boulevard came from a small group rich industrials and businessmen from Merida, who wanted a road to match the importance of their growing city. Finally, in 1904, after 16 years of planning, the project was concluded. It was named "Paseo Montejo" after the city founder.

  Today, even a century after it was built, the Boulevard still preserves its lush gardens, regardless of the 1970 remodeling works, which transformed most of it into a commercial area. Due to this transformation, only a few houses are still there, as most of the owners are banks and stores.