
MEXICO - Yucatan - Izamal
Izamal is a small city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, 72 kilometres (45 mi) east of state capital Mérida. Izamal was continuously occupied throughout most of Mesoamerican chronology. After the Spanish conquest of Yucatán in the 16th century a Spanish colonial city was founded atop the existing Maya one; however it was decided that it would take a prohibitively large amount of work to level these two huge structures and so the Spanish contented themselves with placing a small Christian temple atop the great pyramid and building a large Franciscan Monastery atop the acropolis. It was named after San Antonio de Padua. Completed in 1561, the open atrium of the Monastery is still today second in size only to that at the Vatican. Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.
BEST TIME to VISIT YUCATAN
BEST TIME to TRAVEL to CANCUN
From October to April

San Antonio de Padua convent - Altar

small church

Historic city - around the Convent

Typical flat landscape of Yucatan

Historic Town - Horse carriage for tourists

Historic Town - street view

Historic Town - Horse carriage for tourists

Historic Town - Horse carriage for tourists

Typical flat landscape of Yucatan

colorful house

Family transport

San Antonio de Padua convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

San Antonio de Padua convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

San Antonio de Padua convent - view from outside - gate

San Antonio de Padua convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

San Antonio de Padua convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

San Antonio de Padua convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

San Antonio de Padua convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

San Antonio de Padua convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

Historic Town - Horse carriage for tourists

San Antonio de Padua convent - Altar

Historic Town - street view

San Antonio de Padua convent - Altar

Historic Town - street view

Historic Town - street view

Horse Carriage for tourists

San Antonio de Padua Convent - Most of the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city was reused to build the Spanish churches, monastery, and surrounding buildings.

San Antonio de Padua Convent - Completed in 1561, the open atrium of the Monastery is still today second in size only to that at the Vatican.

San Antonio de Padua Convent

Street view

Street view