Palacio de Gobierno del Estado de Yucatán — Attraction in Mérida

Friends - if you are in Mérida, please take 30 to 60 minutes to stop in at Palacio de Gobierno del Estado de Yucatán!

Quick PSA, and then on to the review - Do not worry about the 3 or 4 police that are guarding the entrance. They are not there to prevent you from entering - they are only there to make sure they are protecting the working government functions that are occurring in this building. Oh, and if you need a bathroom, they have free public bathrooms here.

And now for the review - This beautiful green colonnade building is located in centro adjacent to the Plaza Grande. And while the building itself is beautiful, it's what is inside that may (and I hope will) truly affect you.

Inside the Palacio de Gobierno, the walls of the 1st and 2nd floor are filled with the enormous murals of one of Mexico's most revered artists, Fernando Castro Pacheco (1918-2013). These murals just celebrated their 50th year in 2021. The tell the story of the Maya people. From the agrarian roots to the prophecy of the coming of the white man, to the enslavement by the Spanish, to the fight for freedom from the Spanish, to continued enslavement in the caste system of the haciendas and finally to independence.

It is so, so moving. If you open your heart, you will feel and experience the repression, suppression and finally flourishing of the Maya and Mexican people despite all the hundreds of years of calamities that humans put and did to other human beings. Yes, this has happened the world over throughout time, and the USA has been right in the middle of this as well, but Fernando Castro Pacheco has so perfectly captured this experience through art that is provides a call back love, kindness and goodness to one another and to all living things in this world. Art can move us in way that transcends our mind and engage our hearts, and that is what these murals did for me.

I hope you will go and I hope you will take the time to truly experience what the artist is...

This stunning monument reflects the collective history of the people of the Yucatan. I visited several times in the fall of 1987 and was struck in particular by the extensive murals of Fernando Castro Pacheco, and have never forgotten their impact. The experience - three months in the Yucatan peninsula, based in Merida with a group of students from Central College - was deeply transformative and connected me to the world in a special way. Travel - especially travel on the ground where every day people live - is an experience every global citizen would do well to experience. Your mind and soul will be expanded as...

Una visita al Palacio de Gobierno de Yucatán es una parada obligatoria si estás en el centro histórico de Mérida. El edificio, de estilo neoclásico, es hermoso por dentro y por fuera, reflejando el esplendor arquitectónico de la época porfiriana. En la planta baja encontrarás un pequeño museo que narra la historia de Yucatán con objetos, mapas y documentos interesantes. En la planta alta se exhiben impactantes murales, óleos y pinturas del maestro Fernando Castro Pacheco, que cuentan de manera poderosa y artística la historia del pueblo maya y la identidad yucateca. La entrada es gratuita, el personal es muy amable y puedes tomar fotografías sin problema. Desde el segundo piso se tiene una excelente vista hacia la Plaza Grande. Es un espacio lleno de historia, arte y orgullo cultural. Totalmente recomendable.

Review in English:

A visit to the Government Palace of Yucatán is a must if you’re in Mérida’s historic center. The neoclassical building is beautiful inside and out, reflecting the grandeur of the Porfirian era. On the ground floor, there is a small museum that shares the history of Yucatán through objects, maps, and historical documents. On the upper floor, you'll find powerful murals, oil paintings, and artistic works by master Fernando Castro Pacheco, vividly portraying the story of the Maya people and Yucatecan identity. Admission is free, the staff is friendly, and photography is allowed. From the second floor, you’ll enjoy a great view of the Plaza Grande. A space rich in history, culture, and art — highly recommended.

日本語でのレビュー（Japanese...