IZAMAL, City in Yellow

The Streets of Izamal

Road Trip to IZAMAL

I had a lovely visit to the interesting small city of Izamal, site to several minor Mayan pyramids, but also a site of Catholic significance, with a large convent visited in 1993 by Pope John Paul II.  It has the second largest open-air arched atrium in the world, the first being at the Vatican. 

The Convent at Izamal

It also has certain notoriety in that the priest who oversaw the church was Fray Diego de Landa, responsible for destroying every Mayan piece of writing he could find, which he considering it to be “of the devil”.  As a result, only 3 crucial codices remain from which to decipher ancient writings and dates on stelae and important stone structures.  Later in life as he grew to admire the Maya, Father Landa regretted his hasty bon fires and did what he could to create an early history of the Mayan people.

The imposing convent was built on top of the largest pyramid of the area, using stones from the ruins, a common practice in those days.   Merida’s earliest buildings were constructed of the stone blocks dismantled from old pyramid structures as well.

Izamal's Town Square

  

Izamal Hotel

The buildings in the city of Izamal are all painted mustard yellow throughout the downtown area, which gives it an exceptional charm and cohesion.  Streets are cobblestone block and sidewalks are well maintained.  It is clearly the cleanest town I have seen in Latin America so far with winding one-way streets that beacon you to explore them.


Horse-drawn carriages take tourists on town tours, Music and entertainment is available in the town square, and people were open and friendly… my kind of town! 

Foosball in the Town Square

Neighborhood at the foot of Kinich Kakmo

The most amazing thing about Izamal’s pyramids is that they are located within the neighborhoods, so that these kids grow up playing on the pyramids probably more than in any park.  I think it would be a lovely place to grow up!

Neighborhood by Habuk

There are at least 5 pyramids throughout town, but I limited myself to just two, Habuk and Kinich Kakmo, the latter being one of the largest in square meter size of all the pyramids in the Yucatan, although not well preserved and less imposing than the more famous sites, such as Chichen Itza, Uxmal, and Palenque.  

Kinich Kakmo's upper Plaza looking down on the Convent & City Center

Kinich Kakmo is deceptive from below.  It’s not until you mount the lower wide base that you discover an expansive plaza with a second large pyramid above the city.  Shady treed areas feel wonderful for hanging out in the heat of the day, high enough to catch cool breezes, and I could imagine myself spending many quiet hours at the foot of the upper pyramid, as only an occasional tourist makes their way to Kinich Kakmo, so one can have this magical site all to oneself!

Kinich Kakmo's upper Pyramid in Semi-Disintegration

It’s interesting that this small city has been a Mecca of sorts for the Catholics AND the Maya, whose priests and shaman of BOTH religious persuasions would pilgrimage here.

A bit of Habuk

Henequen Fields

On the way in and out of town, especially along the country road access, one sees the remains of the henequen fields, the crop that made colonial Merida such a jewel of wealth in its gloried past.  Hennequen stalks could be seen cut and stacked along the road for pick-up, so I have to imagine that the rope-making fibers are still used today, although many of the old henequen haciendas either went broke or turned into tourist B & B's to make ends meet.