Merida - Yucatan Mexico

Some pics of Merida in Mexico.
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

  The castle cathedral (Cathedral of San Ildefonso) is huge and imposing. Dates from 1598. It was the first cathedral to be finished on the American mainland. A very severe and imposing structure that I read as a statement to show the power of the church.

The system of vaulting used throughout the building was based on the ideas of Andres de Vandelvira, first applied to the building of the cathedral of Jaen in Spain (1249).

Jaen Cathedral. It was built upon the ruins of a Mosque.

Merida's cathedral was probably built upon the Mayan ruins of T'ho... the Spanish using these conquered people as slaves during construction. It must have been terrible for the inhabitants to see their capital destroyed and this structure built on top.... just as in Mexico City.

 

The Cathedral was commissioned by Pope Pius IV. The architect was Juan Miguel de Aguero. He also built the fortifications of Havana Cuba and the Cathedral of Mexico City.

The crucifix inside is 25ft high. It's supposed to represent friendship between Mayans & the Church.
I found this a bit unsettling considering the building's history.