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The Convent Route Umán, Muna, Ticul, Oxkutzcab, Maní, Teabo, Mama, Tekit, Tecoh, and Acanceh. Texts refer only the respective site’s colonial architecture. Site’s listed in order of their proximity to Mérida. |
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| UMAN: A Franciscan foundation established in 1576, becoming a residential mission in 1583. Part of the open chapel of the original building survives in the Chapel of St. Peter and St Paul which stands on north side of the church. The present-day church is relatively late, built in the 1790s. Fortress-like exterior with flying buttresses shows typical Yucatecan stonework; gothic-inspired façade with renaissance niche, 16 stained-glass windows. |
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| MUNA: Muna guarded the northern approaches to Xiu territory in preconquest times. The Franciscan mission overlooks the main square and stands squarely on a former Mayan temple. The immense church dates to the mid-1600s. Watch for dedication plaques above the west door, in the choir arch, above the side entrances and high on the façade. The pulpit is carved with the Franciscan crossed arms. |
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| TICUL:A pottery and leather town par excellence and filled with workshops called talleres. There was a Franciscan mission in Ticul since 1555 and by 1591 it had attained the rank of cabecera or head mission and construction on the great church and convento began not to be finished until the 1640s. The mark of the Franciscans is seen throughout the church—symbols of the Order, knotted cord frames around the doorways. |
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| OXCUTZCAB: A market town for the Maya living in the surrounding countryside (Annual Fair, Aug 10-16th worth seeing). The Franciscan mission stands beside the town square. The original mission was founded in 1547 but failed due to a clash with the Maya. The second was begun in 1580, though architecturally speaking it never amounted to much. The complex there today was built from 1640-1693. The magnificent retablo or altarpiec is the finest work of art at the site: four tiers of carved panels and sculptured saints. Don’t miss the hillstop hermitage of the Virgen de Pilar. |
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| MANI: Historic and tragic Maní was the Xiu capital prior to the conquest and the site of Bishop Landa’s infamous auto-da-fé (1562) during which hundreds of Mayan documents were burned. Then, during the Caste Wars, 200 people who had taken refuge in the church were killed by Maya rebels. The church is a true monument with a rare, sculpted atrio cross and a collection of altarpieces that are among the finest in Mexico. |
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| TEABO: The Franciscan mission is located at the center of town, built over the original Mayan temple. A relief of the Five Wounds (a reference to the stigmata of St. Francis) appear with the Franciscan Crossed Arms and a dedicatory plaque with 1650. An inscribed date of 1696 appears on the façade. Best bet here is the altarpiece, perhaps done by the same artist that did those of Maní. |
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| MAMA: The area is full of cenotes and associated with female deities, both Christian and pagan. The well in the plaza behind the monastery is the focus of the community; the well house one of only two such structures in the Yucatan (the other is at San Bernardino, in Valladolid). The mission was expanded in the 17th century and further altered in the |
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| TECOH: Another huge mission (1600s), located just 10 km up the road from Mayapan (the last great city of the Yucatecan Maya, active at the time of the conquest). There are wooden balconies in the nave and late baroque altarpieces that were once gilded. The altarpieces are rare and unusual for they contain paintings, rather then relief sculptures ( John the Baptist and three archangels). |
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ACANCEH: The town sits in the middle of an ancient Maya ceremonial center. Pyramids share pride of place with colonial churches and modern buildings. Maya structures here really more interesting than the 18th century church. |
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