Merida

View from the front of La Casa de Montejo (Montejo's House), 1549 Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, pictured on July 13, 2006, in the evening. In 1542 Spanish Conquistadors, led by Francisco de Montejo (the Younger) captured the ancient Mayan city of Th'o, and built a new city named after Merida in Spain. The two tiers of the sculpted facade of Montejo's house illustrate the characteristics of Plateresque architecture, a combination of late Gothic, Moorish and early Renaissance styles. The lower facade features fluted columns, classical entablatures and coffered panelling in Renaissance style. The two busts above the doorway are thought to be Montejo's parents. The upper tier suggesting the Medieval and Moorish has a frieze of grotesques and a bowed figure supporting the corbelled balcony. Above the window is the Montejo shield. Huge figures of Spanish halbardiers stand on heads, often interpreted as Mayans, but probably European demons. Picture by Manuel Cohen

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Casa Coat-of-arms Conquered Conquistadors Corbelled Cut-stone Grotesque Heraldic Ichkanzihoo Masonry Maya Mayan Merida Montejo Plateresque Yucatan

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