Yucatan Peninsula

Mérida Cathedral, also known as the Catedral de San Ildefonso, is the seat of the Diocese of Yucatán and is considered one of the oldest surviving church buildings in the Americas. It stands on the city's main square, right next to the Governor's Palace and the Casa de Montejo. Construction was completed in 1598, after Francisco de Montejo founded the city in 1542. During the Caste War in 1915, parts of the interior furnishings were destroyed. Architecturally, the facade stands out for its roughly hewn limestone, while the portals are made of light-colored marble. Inside, the church is a hall church with three naves of equal height, separated by round pillars. One highlight is the dome, which is among the first of its kind in the New World and is crowned by a lantern. Here you'll find a plain but historically significant building that marks the beginning of church architecture in Central and South America.