Catedral de San Ildefonso

Beautiful site in Merida. Must see for anyone. Looking at it from Picheta is amazing as well. Also I recommend viewing it day and night because it looks amazing in different kinds of ways. Also research the history as it’s pretty interesting.

If history is your thing, then this place is for you. If architecture is your thing, then this 0lace is for you. If you need to pray, you should come try it here. It's beautiful, the people were wonderful, and it just leaves you in awe of what people can be capable of.

Architecturally impressive, this cathedral houses none of the original art. Either stripped during the Mexican Revolution, or removed to prevent theft, the cathedral is a less decorative experience than the frilly, gilded majesty of the ones we saw in Mexico City, Puebla, and Oaxaca. Saturday nights there is a Mayan pelota demonstration in front of the Cathedral. It is a fitting location, since the stone walls of the Catedral de San Ildefonso are also the last remnants of the Mayan Temple that stood on the same spot. If you are visiting the archeological sites in the area, the ball game demonstration and ceremony will add significantly to your overall understanding and experience.

Fascinating cathedral, especially during the Christmas season. I love the light show they project onto the cathedral, as well as all the events that take place during this time. The church is free of charge. I believe the projection only happens during the weekend.

Large cathedral in Merida. It’s a bit plane, and austere. It lacks the frescos and paintings of many other cathedrals. It’s worth visiting however for its grandeur. And austerity.

The Cathedral Mérida is a very fine and well preserved example of the colonial era churches. The cathedral is in excellent condition and very well maintained. The chapels are very interesting and many are dedicated to locally significant Saints. This is a beautiful old church with great architecture.

Lovely church with maybe the biggest Christ I have seen in any similar church. Not fancy but practical. No admission fee.

The oldest Catholic Cathedral and Church in North America. It was amazing to go to Mass here and experience history. Imagining the millions of pilgrims and Catholics that have worshipped here over centuries. The authentic structure gives the feeling of traveling through time and being in an International landmark is something special. Located directly in Central Mérida Yucatan Mexico across from the plaza is the iconic landmark. The Church is very peaceful and popular for tourists. But, it still functions as a Catholic Church with Masses held daily. This cultural heritage center is where Catholics formed their first Cathedral in North America. Then branching out to form missions throughout North, Central, and South America. You can feel the connection between the past and the present in a Holy Site. Then enjoy the food, shopping, and the cultural park directly across the street. A great place for family to visit and also fellowship in Christ!

Beautiful Cathedral from the 1500s. Our tour guide told us this was the first Catholic Church built in Mexico. I highly recommend making time to stop and see this lovely historic gem.

We visited the Catedral de San Ildefonso last week when we were in Merida on vacation. It's located on Plaza Grande, so it's definitely worth checking out with the other attractions on the plaza. Construction of the cathedral began in 1561 and was completed in 1598, making it the second cathedral to be completed in the Americas. The cathedral was built on the site of Mayan ruins of T'ho, and the laborers who built the cathedral used stones from the Mayan temple of Yajam Cumu to build it. The coat of arms on the facade was originally designed to reflect the Spanish royal coat of arms, but was partially destroyed after Mexico's independence and now shows a Mexican eagle wearing the imperial crown of Iturbide in the empty portion of the shield. The interior is worth visiting (they close for a few hours in the middle of the day FYI), but it's the exterior that I found incredibly beautiful. Don't miss it if you're nearby!

El catedral más lindo que e visto, y después de la lluvia está más lindo y hermoso. Ahí área de visitantes que puedes pasar cuando ahí misa en vivo

Beautiful church, Tour bus should have given more time to explore this So, we stopped at cenote for 90 minutes but our tour bus gave us just 20 minutes to explore Valladolid and nearby areas, great...!! That why I recommend coming by yourself. No doubt church looks very beautiful from outside, but we did not have time, so we just roamed in central park, have churros and then came back. Central Park was full of people, warrior dressed guys, vendors. Streets were looking so beautiful, vibrant, colorful from the bus. We should have stayed here for longer time. I recommend visiting here. It is as vibrant as it can be

Gorgeous cathedral. In many Latin American cities and towns, the central cathedral is where the action is. It's the place to see and be seen. It's where locals and gringos alike go to stroll, shop, eat, and just chill. This place is that. Tip: Every Sunday night they have a dance/party here.

This is an impressive cathedral with a rich history. Amazing amount of detail and religious imagery. Located right in front pf the Zocalo where is always something going on.

The Cathedral of Merida is also known by its proper name as the Catedral de San Ildefonso. Naturally, as is custom in colonial Spanish towns, the Cathedral is located at the main square and in the center of the City. It is striking and beautiful from the outside, however austere and plain on the inside. Its worth a stop in to take a look and enjoy knowing you've visited the oldest Cathedral in the main land Americas (Santo Domingo, D.R. has the oldest), but outside of that aspect there will not be much to remember.

This cathedral is such a beautiful place. The architecture is incredible. The history here is unbelievable. And the mass held here is definitely an experience everyone should have, whether they're religious or not.