Izamal is a town an hour and a half east of Mérida, near the top of the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s known as The Yellow City, for reasons that should be apparent as you view the photos below.
I spent a day there last week and had a great time. There isn’t a whole lot to actually see in the town, but it’s a pleasant place to wander around and listen to podcasts in. The main attractions are the yellow monastery and a big ol’ Mayan pyramid. The monastery was actually built on top of an older Mayan pyramid. In Izamal I also ate pollo pibil for the first time. It’s a Mayan recipe—chicken wrapped in banana leaves and smothered in a variety of local spices. Delicious.
The sky was a bit hazy and cloudy when I visited Izamal, but hopefully the photos can still at least partially convey the beauty of the place.
The gate to the Convento de San Antonio de Padua.
The main church of the monastery, the Santuario de la Virgen de Izamal. The place was founded in 1562 and the facade was last updated in the late 18th century.
Another view of the church and cloister.
The inside of the church.
Another view.
The back side of the church.
Side view of the convent area.
The huge Kinich-Kakmó pyramid, built around 400 to 600 AD. It’s just a few blocks away from the convent.
The top of the pyramid.
Looking toward the monastery from the top of the pyramid.
A yellow street.
Another beautiful yellow church.