Palacio de la Musica

This church was built in 1618 as part of a Jesuit college once covering an entire city block – only the church survives today. It was built with stone from an earlier Mayan temple; these carved stones can be seen on the west wall.

The city's grand opera house. The current structure was designed by a visiting Italian architect and opened in 1908 during the height of the boom times, replacing a less opulent earlier theater of the same name; it is still the largest theater on the Yucatán peninsula. The theater is the center of Mérida's high culture and in 2011 was renovated with a new stage and updated air conditioning. If opera, symphonies, and ballets aren't to your taste, the building is still worth a look for the impressive architecture. There is also a sizable art gallery downstairs with changing exhibits. The theater was damaged by fire in November 2022, and is expected to be closed for renovations at least through mid-2023.

This lovely colonial palace was built in 1892 in the Neoclassical style, with a large courtyard and impressive staircase. Upstairs there is a permanent exhibit of paintings by the painter Fernando Castro Pacheco illustrating key events in the history of Mexico and of the Yucatán peninsula. The main balcony upstairs has a good view of the Zócalo and the cathedral.

This is the first cathedral built on the mainland of the Americas and the oldest in Mexico, built on the site of the Mayan temple Xbac-Luum-Chaan. The temple stones were incorporated into the new building, and a number of original Mayan carvings are still visible on the church walls. Construction began in 1561 and was completed in 1599, except for the bell tower, which was finished 200 years later in 1774. The building is rather austere in style, partly due to its Franciscan design, and partly due to looting during the Mexican revolution.
The stations of the cross in the interior on the side naves are particularly noteworthy, as is the painting above a door depicting the baptism of the Mayan ruler of Maní.
An additional item of interest on the left side is the so-called El Cristo de las Ampollas ('The Christ of the Blisters') located in a side chapel. In 1645 this wood carving was brought from the village of Ichmul, after it miraculously survived a fire which had destroyed the village church. The original was destroyed during the revolution, but the devout still come to pray at the replica.

This was built in 1575 by the merchant D. Pedro Garcia. In 1871 the park of the same name was opened to the public, and the door arches embellished. The obelisk dedicated to General Sebastian Molas was added in 1887.

Housed in the former bishop's palace, this museum has a permanent collection of sculptures and paintings by the most well-known artists from the state of Yucatán. Rotating exhibits of work by local artists are also on display.