Plaza Grande

The Plaza Grande in Mérida features a distinct, sprawling garden canopy formed by interlocking laurel trees that shade almost the entire square. Francisco de Montejo the Younger laid out this town square in fifteen forty-two, directly atop the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of T'ho. Builders used stones stripped from the desecrated Mayan pyramids to construct the nearby cathedral. Every afternoon, the plaza becomes a stage for the local tradition of jarana dancing, where residents move in time to rhythmic, percussive music.