Izamal is famous for its houses and public buildings that are painted yellow and white. It is a peculiar colonial city because it is location between the historical henequen fields and Merida. It has developed as an important agricultural and commercial center, with the perspective of becoming a first rate tourist destination. It represents an a unique architetural style where ancient mayan vestiges of the V and VI centuries compete in dimensions and beauty with the colonial constructions raised by the spaniards duirng  the conquest.

In the center of the city, atop the mayan basement of the Puuc style of the Ppa-Hol-Chac and between two great porticoed plazas, stands  the franciscan convent dedicated to San Antonio de Padua. It is an inmaculate church with a closed atrium, with half point arches considered the biggest in the world nest to those in the Vatican.

This sacred place with simple vaults and thick, flat walls, was started by Fray Diego de Landa in 1553. Construction was done ender the directions of architect Fray Juan de Merida, but it was finished by Fray Francisco de la Torre in 1561.

On the facade there is a outstanding mudejar-style vitral with the figure of the virgin and a clock tower. In the two story cloister, back against the temple -- where the cells are covered and a hallway stretches towards the choir chamber -- there is an ancient sun clock. The retable of the main altar is a contemporary work of carving done by Mr. Francisco Mena Valdes, and consists of ten niches disposed in two horizontal rows. It details in its center portray images which comunicate, according to Miguel F. Vera Lima, the "image of the virgin was in Guatemala [portrayed] by fray Juan de Aguirre in 1558, as the other one destined to Merida".  When the first figure was burned in 1829, it was substituted by its twin that is still on display.

Because of the many miracles attributed to her, the virgin of Izamal was crowned in 1949 as "Queen of Yucatan" and, in 1970, declared as patroness of the archidiocese. Likewise, more recently, the 11th of August of 1993, the Pope John Paul II gathered in the historic atrium with the representatives of the original people of America.

A few meters from the town's center we find the pyramid Itzamaatul, also with reminiscence of the "Izamale;o" style, characteristic of teh V and VI centuries, where a botanical garden has been installed to feature samples of species of the region's flora. From here there is a splendid view of the backside of the convent. Further ahead is the Kinich-Kakmo (Macae of solar-or face-fire) great platform -- almost square with rounded corners, on top of which is an 18 meter pyramid. It permits a splendid overview of the location and its vecinity, as well as the green and blue color of the horizon.

A visit to the town of Izamal is truely a walk through the history of Yucatan, and what better that doing so on a colorful "Victoria" (or english coach) that move through the streets. The provide relaxed riders with a great view of houses of flagstoned facades, some of them craddle to illustrious characters as the bishop Crescencio y Carrillo Ancona; monuments as the sculpture of Fray Diego De Landa; the noisy marketplace; the great municipal palace; the public library; and the gravestones placed on diverse corners.

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