Merida INFORMATION
Merida is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Yucatán and the Yucatán Peninsula. It is located in the northwest part of the state, about 35 kms. (22 miles) from the Gulf of Mexico coast. The city is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name which surrounds it. In the census of 2005 the population of the city was 734,153, ranking 12th among the most populous Mexican metropolitan areas. The population of the municipality was 781,146. The municipality's area is 858.41 km² (331.43 sq mi). The metropolitan area includes the municipalities of Mérida, Umán and Kanasín and had a population of 886,188 in the same 2005 census. It is the largest of the 3 cities of the world that share the name -the other two being in Spain and Venezuela.
There were three Spanish Conquistadors named "Francisco de Montejo", "El Adelantado" (father), Francisco de Montejo y León "el Mozo" (son), and Francisco de Montejo "el sobrino" (nephew). Mérida was founded in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo "el Mozo" (son). It was built on the site of the Maya city of T'ho (also known as Ichcaanzihó or "city of the five hills", referring to five pyramids) which had been a center of Mayan culture and activity for centuries. Because of this, many historians consider Mérida the oldest continually-occupied city in the Americas
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 first in 1999 ( Bill Clinton - Fox ) 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 is the cultural and financial capital of the Yucatán Peninsula, as well as the capital city of the state of Yucatán. In recent years, two important science competitions were held in Mérida: the 2005 International Mathematical Olympiad and the 2006 International Olympiad in Informatics. In 2006 Mérida hosted FITA Archery World Cup Final.
Many carved Maya stones from ancient T'ho were 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 century is still standing in the centro historico of the city. |
