THE CITY OF CAMPECHE
Campeche is the capital of the State. It is located 196 km southweast of Merida by the federal highway 180, and 471 km northeast of Villahermosa by the federal highways 186, 261 and 180.
Like, Veracruz, Campeche is located on Bahía de Campeche on the Gulf of
Mexico.
Campeche is an interesting mixture of old Spanish fortifications mingled
in with very modern fountains, and architecture.
Campeche is the location where Cortés first set foot on Mexican soil in
1517. It is unique along the Gulf Coast because it is surrounded by
walls and fortresses from the early days of the Spanish conquest.
Campeche is the most picturesque port towns on the Yucatan Peninsula. Also, the town
is rich in history which makes it worthy of visiting and a favorite of
photographers who enjoy taking photographs of its walls, gates, and
fortresses.
The conquistadors discovered a dye in logwood which grew in the forests
near Campeche. This dye was considered a rare commodity and was highly
prized in Europe and brought high prices on the European market. Many
became rich as a result of this discovery. When word passed that this
dye was available in Campeche, it attracted a sordid group of Caribbean
buccaneers, pirates, and thieves who sought to profit from this unique
and valuable commodity by controlling the market for the dye. As a
result, the city was attacked and sacked on many occasions from 1597 to
1685.
Finally, the city residents decided that it was necessary for them to
protect themselves from these plunderers, so the townspeople of Campeche
started construction of walls and fortresses to completely surround the
town. The construction begin in 1686 and was completed in 1704.
The two main gates and seven of the original fortresses remain to this
day and serve as a continual reminder of the violent and troubled past
of Campeche. Some of the walls, however, have been removed in later more
peaceful times but the structures that still remain are unique and offer
many photographic opportunities.
The Campeches's history has divided the City in three zones:
•The Center, formed by the old walled city which was inhabited by the
Spaniards during the Colony •San Francisco, located to the north of the
wall, where the Mayan population was concentrated; and •San Roman to the
south, where the Mexican natives established themselves with the
mulattos brought from the Islands of the Caribbean, mainly from Cuba
Nowadays the bastions and remains of the wall are historical monuments,
museums, gardens and other cultural attractions such as:
•The Ancient House of the Carvajal family with Arabic arcs and flight of
steps made of marble. Currently it has been converted into a crafts
store and offices of the government •The Baluarte of Nuestra Señora de
la Soledad where you can visit a hall of steles named Dr. Roman Pina
Chan with an exhibition of 22 Mayan sculptures •The Cathedral of the
Conception •The Main Square, where some examples of Colonial
architecture can be observed •The Church of San Francisco, built in the
XVI century •The San Francisco de Paulo Toro Park, where an exposition
of handicrafts from the country is presented in December •The Regional
Museum which is known as the Casa del Teniente del Rey (House of the
Lieutenant of the King) with a collection of European weapons from the
XII to XIX centuries •The Historical Hall of the Fortifications which is
based on historical explanations, reconstructions of forticications of
the old walled city with photomountings in color and scale models
A handicrafts market is now located at the site of the former Fort of
San Pedro. Beneath the fort are located various secret passages which
once linked various parts of the city, and provided a means of escape
when the fort was being attacked. Some of these secret passage ways are
said to date back to Mayan times. The handicrafts are made of:
•tortoiseshell •palm of jipi •wood •shells •clay and •porcelanized
ceramics •embroidered clothes and •jewelry of gold and silver
There is the Campeche Museum which is sited on a converted casa and
houses a collection of Mayan pieces, including a mask and some jewelry
said to have been discovered upon excavation of the Colakmul tomb.
Another museum, San Miguel, sits on the site of one of Campeche's
fortresses and contains a model of the walled and fortressed city as it
appeared 300 years ago, as well as arms and other objects said to have
belonged to some of the pirates in the region.
There is not a lot to see in terms of magnificent buildings, however, at
the plaza, is a cathedral built in 1546. There is also, the San
Francisco Monastery near the malecón which dates to approximately the
same period. Campeche also has a brightly colored Government Palace
reflective of Caribbean tastes.
As might be expected in a seaport town, Campeche has an abundance of
fresh seafood prepared in every conceivable manner including some
flavored with tasty Caribbean spices. So abundant is the seafood, that
large quantites are exported throughout the world.
Campeche is famous because of its excellent gastronomy such as the bread of dogfish, and the Nac-cum made with red snapper.
You may feel great eating here!
Campeche is very attractive to visit and everything is complemented by its offering magnificent hotels and very good restaurants, where you can rest, eat deliciously and become familiar with interesting testimonials of the past.
