Izamal – The Yellow City

San Antonio de Padua Monastery

On the way to Chichen Itza, we stopped in Izamal to see the city and have lunch at Kinich, the most famous Maya Restaurant in the area. Izamal is a Mexican Magical City.

Monastery with Horse Drawn Carriages Below 

Izamal was an important ancient Maya City. The Dimension of its buildings and network of roads (Sacbeob) constructed between 600 and 800 CE are evidence of the political and economic status that Izamal exerted over a vast territory.






After the conquest of the Yucatan by the Spanish in the 16th century, they destroyed the Great Maya City and built a Spanish City on the foundations of the remains. They decided to build the huge Franciscan Monastery, San Antonio de Padua, on top of the largest Temple, Pop Hol Choc, that had existed at the time.

Maya Ruins in town

Izamal Central Plaza

Izamal's colonial center is painted a sunny ocher yellow and its very impressive and beautiful. The entire city is yellow including San Antonio de Padua above the main square that is said to have the largest plaza in the Americas (only the Vatican is larger). It was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1993. 
   

Yellow Izamal from the Horse Carriage

No one really knows why the entire city of Izamal is painted Yellow although archaeologists have said that the color yellow is found in ruins over a 1000 years old in the ancient city.

Old Colonial House

We had a wonderful time when we took a horse drawn carriage ride all around Izamal to see the sights and the actual Maya ruins that were found here and there all around the down town.

Izamal is a really is a Magical City to see, 

Highly recommended!

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