The Plaza Grande de Mérida is the heart of the city. Like many of the central squares, it picks up the movement of the local and the traveler. In the Plaza Grande you will find several interesting visits to do, all of them free.

The city of Mérida boasts of being the cultural center of the Peninsula, and they are right. Many of the cultural centers and events are open and free to the general public, something that speaks very well in my way of thinking about the city.

Do not miss the best places to visit in Mérida free and paid

5 free visits in the Plaza Grande de Mérida

In the mere Plaza Grande de Mérida, where visitors will unequivocally pass, there are 5 places to visit for free. Let's meet them.

1-government palace

This neoclassical building was the former residence of captains and governors of Yucatán. The current building, which today houses some of the state government offices, was inaugurated on September 15, 1892. The layout of the old building was respected: it has two floors and an interior patio. On the top floor you will find the beautiful assembly hall and the paintings of Fernando Castro Pacheco, a good way to get closer to the history of Yucatan through his paintings. Very good visit in Merida.

Read more of government palace.

Schedules: open diary from 8 to 21: 30h.

Location: 61 Street, between the 60 x 62. In the Plaza Grande.

Government Palace, Mérida, Yucatán

2-Montejo House Museum

This residential house belonged to the Spanish conqueror Francisco de Montejo, who was awarded for his family an attractive plot located in the Gran Plaza, in the year of the founding of Mérida, in 1542. Today this residential building belongs to the National Bank of Mexico ( Banamex) since 1981, who restored it from 2007 to 2010 to open it to the public. The rooms of the house are decorated with colonial furniture belonging to different haciendas. It is a good visit to recreate other times. There is also a room with traveling exhibitions.

Read more of Casa Montejo Museum.

Schedules: from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 to 19h. Sundays from 10 to 14h. Guided visits to the 11, 13 and 17. The store inside the courtyard opens from Monday to Sunday from 10 to 19 hours.

Location: 63 Street, between the 60 x 62. In the Plaza Grande.

5 free visits in the Plaza Grande de Mérida 1

3-city ​​Hall

This building is the current headquarters of the offices of the City of Mérida, formerly located in the Government Palace. The building dates from 1734, and has undergone several renovations. Surely it is the most insipid visit of all of the Plaza Grande, but the second floor, where the council room is located, offers a portico with interesting views of the Plaza Grande. It's worth climbing.

Read more city ​​Hall.

Schedules: Monday through Friday from 8 to 20h. Saturdays from 9 to 13h.

Location: Calle 62, between 63 x 61. In the Plaza Grande.

5 free visits in the Plaza Grande de Mérida 2

4-Museum of Contemporary Art or Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY)

The Macay Museum, as the citizens know it, houses different traveling exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, with permanent rooms dedicated to the Yucatecan artists Fernando Castro Pacheco, Fernando García Ponce and Gabriel Ramírez Aznar. It is a huge building, where art lovers will surely enjoy it. Its beautiful interior patio is an exquisite corner to take refuge from the bustle of the city.

Read more about Macay.

Schedules: from Wednesday to Monday from 10 to 17: 30h.

Location: Tickets through the Pasaje de Revolución or through Calle 60, next to the Cathedral. In the Plaza Grande.

Fernando García Ponce Museum, Macay

5-The Cathedral of San Idelfonso

This catholic building dates from the 16th century. It is one of the largest temples you will find in the Yucatan Peninsula, with these strong facades characteristic of the Franciscans, the most active order in the Peninsula. Its main door or Puerta del Perdón opens on special occasions. You can find the entrance in the passage of the Revolution. Stay open during Masses, be respectful if you approach as a visitor. The most interesting, although not free, are the guided tours on Saturdays to 10 and 14 hours. You can climb the roof of the Cathedral and contemplate the divine heights.

Mass schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 7:00 am, 8:15 am, 11:15 am, 5:15 pm, 6:30 pm. Sunday: 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00 am, 1:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 6:30 pm.

Location: 60 street, between 61 and the Pasaje de la Revolución.

Cathedral of San Ildefonso. Merida Yucatan

Good way,

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Sandra Salvadó Training photographer, traveler by vocation and certified tourism guide by the Government of Mexico. We promote natural wonders and contemporary Mayan culture. Great fan of pre-Hispanic history. Author of the blog and co-founder of The Shortest Path Travel, agency that guides you through alternative paths in Mayan lands. Social and sustainable tourism in the Yucatan Peninsula and Chiapas.
I am at your disposal for whatever you need. Let's talk.

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