izamal protects a unique treasure within a sacred Cenote that beautifies the region: A “time capsule” of life Maya, the Izamal cenote contains offerings, ceramic pieces and ancient sculptures. Find here more information about this peculiar destination and how to get there.
He iconic convent of San Antonio de Padua It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Izamal. No one thought that under the wide quarry arches that support the structure of the enclosure, a vast cenote. So unusual is this location it has remained hidden for at least 2,500 years!
The history of the sacred cenote of Izamal
Yucatan it is a place rich in cenotes. These natural “waterways” that run below the surface have been forming for hundreds of millions of years and, during the period Classicthe MayaThey were used as places of worship and devotion.
When the Spaniards came across the cosmogonic and religious development of the Maya, they immediately dismissed it as idolatry. It is worth mentioning that in Izamal, the colonizer Diego de Landa undertook an evangelizing campaign to destroy any trace of idolatry that you will find in your path. Such was the case of sacred cenote of izamal .
In fact, on this ancient sacred space that was erected by the convent Saint Anthony of padua. And that was how the ancient Mayan knowledge sank into the depths of the clear waters of the cenote.
Centuries later, the convent in question was listed as Heritage of humanity by unesco.
The vestiges of the Mayan culture that have been discovered in this sacred cenote so far:
With the excavations of INAHSome of these old pieces have been recovered. Among them, the following stand out:
- Offerings
- sculptures
- ceramic pieces
- Organic remains
Some of these pieces are as old as the formative period (between the years 750 and 200 AD). For this and many reasons, the discovery of this cenote is of high historical value. And it is that in addition to shedding light on the forms of faith in the Mayan culture prior to the colonization process, archaeologists hope better understand how the evangelizing process was in the area.
izamal It is a small town located in the magnificent Yucatan Peninsula. A few hours from Merida, the capital. Although some travelers decide to stay a couple of days in this town, many people choose to visit this beautiful yellow town in one day. Usually the journey by private car. Take into account that although the distance between Merida and izamal it’s around of 50kmthe bus makes stops in almost all the towns along the way, so the transfer takes about 2 hours.
In addition to visiting one of its unique cenotes, these are some of the activities you can do in this beautiful town:
- Explore the Convent of Saint Anthony of padua. Its impressive architecture and central location make it one of the first buildings you will see when you arrive in izamal and, after learning more about its history, you will surely want to know it.
- Visit the Museum of the Convent of San Antonio Padua. Admission to the museum is public and free and includes a tour with a certified guide (who can be tipped). The museum is not very big, so The tour lasts approximately 15 minutes. and it is usually done in groups of 15 to 20 people, although on Sundays the group may be larger.
- discover the Kinich Kakmó Pyramid is located at a couple of blocks from the town square and can be visited free. Take into account that andYou are allowed to climb to the top of the pyramidbut it must be done very carefully, since the steps are quite irregular.
- Find it itzamatul pyramida construction that is located a couple of blocks from the center of Izamal and is one of the best preserved pyramids from town.