Plaza de Indepencia
The Parque Principal – the main square of Campeche, also know as the Plaza de Indepencia – acts as the City’s living room. An elaborate bandstand sits in the park’s center and many shows take place here at night. A grand arcaded building – the old state government building – fronts on the park’s south side and the Cathedral is on the east. Tourist trains start from here and take people through the old city sections.
La Cathedral
The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción is a simple three-nave structure crowned by a bell tower with a railed-off upper level that serves as a lookout. The cathedral in its present Renaissance form was not started until 1650 – the first church wasn’t impressive enough. This Cathedral took 200 years to complete (the second tower was not finished until 1850).
Edzna
Edzna is Campeche’s most visited Mayan ruins and is one of the Mexico’s archaeological treasures. Edzna, founded around 600 to 300 B.C., appears to have been one of the earliest major Mayan urban centers. It was discovered by Nazario Quintana Bello in 1927. Edzna is a Mayan name which means “House of the Visages.” This ruins are located 38 miles southeast of Campeche.
Historical Architecture
Campeche, a city rich in history, was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO due to its beautiful historic buildings and fortifications. As you walk along the streets you’ll see various civic, religious and military constructions that were built between the 16th and 19th centuries. You can also appreciate large mansions with high ceilings, iron balconies and majestic arches.
Puerta de la Tierra
Puerta de la Tierra (The Land Gate) was constructed in 1732. This is where you went out from Campeche if you were heading on business into the rest of the Yucatan. Its gate was covered by both the baluartes of San Francisco and San Juan.
Casa 6
Beautiful construction with architecture from the 17th century, it has been restored to represent the lifestyle of the people of Campeche in the 19th century. This place features a restaurant area and a bookstore and it works as an information module. Here you will find several weekly activities for all kinds of public.
El Mercado
Campeche’s market is located just outside of the old city wall and quite a sight to see. With over 1,500 local vendors selling their goods daily the market is a center of activity for locals. It is easy to get lost in the maze of colorful vendor stands who are selling fresh fruits, fish, meats and handcrafts. As you walk through the market you soon realize that many of the indigenous vendors are not speaking Spanish but Mayan.
Fort San Jose
Fuerte San José del Alto is San Miguel’s northern counterpart, built in the late 18th century, sits atop the Cerro de Bellavista. From the parapets you can see where the town ends and the mangroves begin. Cross a drawbridge over a moat to enter the neatly restored fortress. Inside, the Fuerte Museo San José del Alto illustrates the port’s maritime history through ship models, weaponry and other paraphernalia.
|
|
Puerta de la Mar
On the east side of the State Government buildings and just west of the Parque Principal is the seaward door to the old City – the Puerta de la Mar (The Sea Gate). The old gate was knocked down but then reconstructed when the locals realized the worth of what was gone.
Baluartes
The baluartes were small forts serving to reinforce the city walls. The walls have been torn down but the balurtes remain. Several house small museums, Baluarte la Soledad – just to the west of the Parque Principal – has rooms with Mayan stelae and sculpture.
“Live the Legend” Walking Tour
With over four and a half centuries of history the city of Campeche has a number of very interesting and even scary legends to tell. What better way to hear them than a walking tour through the streets of San Francisco de Campeche, at night. As your guide tells the tales the legends come to life before your eyes.
Tranvias
One of the best ways to see the delights of the city is to take a ride on one of the Tranvias (Trams) which offer bi-lingual commentary (English and Spanish). The Tranvia de la Ciudad passes by most of the main attractions and picturesque colonial neighborhoods in Campeche including San Roman; while El Guapo (“The Handsome One”) takes a route along the seafront to the Fuerte de San Miguel.
Mangroves
The ecosystem of mangroves for our country is of absolute importance for the marine life of the Gulf of Mexico and its fishing industry. The reserve gets its name from island formations unique to these zones of rich vegetation. Its 282,857 hectares extend along the north coast of the state from the municipalities of Campeche.
Fort San Miguel
Fuerte de San Miguel, houses the Museo Arqueológico de Campeche an outstanding museum displaying a small but stunning collection of Mayan art and artifacts. Fuerte de San Miguel occupies a beautiful hilltop a couple of miles south of the city and offers a panoramic view of the Gulf of Mexico. Eighteenth-century cast-iron cannon stand at gun slits. During its time, this place was impregnable.
The Pirate Ship “Lorencillo”
As the sun starts to set in the Gulf of Mexico, the crew of the pirate ship Lorencillo makes ready to set sail for a night cruse of Campeche Bay. This full scale wood replica of a Spanish galleon will take you on an hour cruise where you can observe the evening stars and the lights of the city from the deck.
Malecon
A broad walk boulevard runs along the sea, but directly on the sea, is a wide walking path, with a separate jogging/bike path that gets plenty of local use. In the evenings, many locals will walk, jog, skate or just hang out along the Malecon.
|