IZAMAL
 The imprint of three cultures—Mayan, Spanish and Mestizo—lend elegance
and grandeur to the City of Izamal.
Founded in the 4th century A.D. by Itzamna, leader and patriarch of the Mayan people, it was for a long time
a magnet for indigenous pilgrims, and during the colonial period it was a
Christian sanctuary of the first rank. Today it is known as the City of
the Hills because of the archeological remains located in the town center,
including the Pyramid of Kinich-Kakmo—at 115 feet high the tallest pyramid
in Yucatan. The pyramids of Itzamatul, Kabul and Hucpintok, among others,
are also still standing.
The visitor will be awed by the majesty of the Franciscan monastery,
built on top of a Mayan structure, whose porticoes cloister is the largest
in North America. Its 75
 arches form a long corridor enclosing a space of
more than 22,000 square feet! In 1993, Pope John Paul II met here with
representatives of the continent’s various ethnic communities. It is a
sanctuary where an image of the Immaculate Conception, known as the Virgin
of Izamal, queen and patroness of Yucatan, is still venerated today.
There are other interesting buildings here, as well as the beautiful
old houses painted in white and ochre. The city is so warm and peaceful
that it can be seen on foot or in a horse-drawn Victoria carriage that is
typical of Izamal. To walk through this colonial town is to be transported
back to a time of legend, and to agree that the City of Izamal is indeed a
place of culture open to every visitor.
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