La Ermita de San Isabel is, without a doubt, a charming corner of Mérida. In the Barrio (neighborhood) of San Sebastián in the Centro Histórico, near the old city gate marking the Camino Real to Campeche, with its striking arch at the corner of 64 and 69, is Ermita de Santa Isabel, located at the corner of 66 and 79, named for the mother of San Juan Bautista.
In the center of the park is the plaza with a kiosk beside the church, surrounded by a lovely garden with seating and play areas, watched over by beautiful Colonial-style homes which will surely help you to visualize what this beautiful area looked like in days gone by.
The church in Ermita is dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Buen Viaje (our lady of the good journey), to whom you would entrust your trip if you had been a traveler to Campeche in those days, or even if you were a recently arrived traveler to Yucatecan soil, here in Ermita you would find a place to rest along with other travelers. The building is utterly simple, with a perfectly square façade, with a large cornice above it, which has a pyramid-shaped belfry with three openings for the bells. Upon this cornice, a legend was engraved in 1748!
Once you have taken the time to appreciate the church, go out and head to the right of the building, where you will find a door; after knocking on this door you will enter a small, interesting, beautiful patio with a garden full of medicinal and ornamental plants and trees, all native Yucatecan species of flowers, ferns, and shrubs. It is a very pleasant and cozy space, ideal for relaxing and forgetting the stress of the daily routine for a moment, a unique place to sit and read a good book, or simply enjoy its special ambiance. Entry to this garden is completely free and there should always be someone there to let you in, so don’t hesitate to approach the door.
Enjoy the colors and sensations that this place will provide you, so unique that if you dare to imagine for a moment, you will be transported through time and perhaps want to stay.
La Ermita de Santa Isabel
Calle 66 x 79, Centro
Mérida, Yucatán.
Tel. (999) 923 8987
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