Haciendas

History

The henequen haciendas of Yucatán, once the bread-and-butter of the economy, and today, curators of that fortunate lifestyle, are an incredible experience. Now they are admired in a different light, the landscape and welcoming architecture making the visitor feel right at home.

The Yucatecan haciendas appeared during the 17th century among families which since colonial times had owned great expanses of land. Some of these haciendas were established as ranches, whereas others began to work the fiber of the henequen plant. The henequen was exploited on a grand scale and owners found themselves with a highly profitable business which quickly bore fruits and lasted until the beginning of the 20th century, when synthetic fibers appeared.

Henequen created a completely new profile for Yucatan changing the landscape and the buildings of the haciendas as well as workers’ homes. It was a modern, contradictory and vast world of images. The main house expressed the presence of the estate owner; the machine house, was often seen more as a temple or work palace; the church or chapel was part of the main house; the workers’ houses, modern, stone-built with tiled roofs, placed the humble worker right there in the new world of the estate owner, which stretched as far as the eye could see.

It is interesting today to walk around some of these old haciendas, which have fortunately been saved from the ravages and times and transformed into luxury hotels, restaurants or stopovers and museums

The refurbished, welcoming haciendas of Yucatán share, among other attributes, one special significance: new life for the natural surroundings in which they are found.

Xcanatun.

The lush, tropical forest which flanks the hacienda shares with its visitors an exquisite variety of regional flowers, trees and shrubs, while the small artificial lake is home to innumerable colorful fish. The group of buildings also has some original attributes. Among them, the machine house, which has been converted to a restaurant-bar, and the main house whose rooms, without being over-ostentatious, have a particularly charming atmosphere.

Yaxcopoil.

“Lugar de Álamos Verdes” or “Place of the Green Poplars” owes its elegance to the immense trees to which the name refers. Founded in the 17th century the hacienda is now an important site museum. To visit here is to encounter the centenary life style which the estate owners recreated with allusions to the European trends of the beginning of the 20th century. In the main house each object has its place: fine-haired brushes on the dressing table, the ceramic tableware and silverware in the display cabinet, and hanging next to the coat stand, a delicately-beveled mirror.

For a long time, the entire industrialized henequen process was done here; cultivation, scraping and rope making. Of the mechanics, ironwork and carpentry workshops which operated in those times, only the building structures and some tools remain.

San Ildefonso Teya.

Founded in the year 1683, it was one of the key henequen producing haciendas. Its economy, based on agricultural production and ranching, prospered. Through the years, a chapel has been added where Franciscan monks contemplated the Catholic faith and in which an immense cross carved from zapote wood exists.

Along the corridors is an interesting collection of photographs from the beginning of the 20th century. A visit to Teya is undoubtedly incomplete without enjoying the best of Yucatecan cuisine. The superb seasoning of the dishes leaves diners with a pleasant taste which will accompany them all the way home.

San Antonio Cucúl.

The hacienda dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. The installations are in prime condition and safeguard an admirable patrimony of rustic furnishings, Mayan statuettes and lavish objects, among other things. There is also a chapel complete with the bells which the Franciscans once rang to bring the townspeople to worship. The house still has highly valuable antiques which chronicle the history of the multiple owners who have lived there.

San José Cholul.

This hacienda is an important historic site: every corner is a tribute to the disposition and style of an era in the Colony. The machine house, main house and administrator’s house are now cozy suites. Visitors, in key with the harmonious landscape, can enjoy an attractive and exquisite menu of regional and international food; and when night falls, the atmosphere is accentuated by distinctive lighting and live music from the essential trova. San José Cholul is located 68 km from the city of Mérida.

KanKabchén.

Primarily a beef cattle breeding ranch it also has a troop of thoroughbred horses which take part in the escaramuza charra, a traditional Mexican fiesta featuring an all-female precision riding team.

Ochil.

Ochil is a tourist site which offers the option of exploring in detail the different stages of the henequen production process. The land occupied by the hacienda was once an important Mayan settlement. Later it made room for the economic system introduced by the Colony, whose infrastructure is now the setting for an impressive site museum. Its particular character derives from the vitality which the hacienda projects, offering a panorama of craftwork made in Yucatán. Artisans work in equipped workshops in what was once the ancient hacienda chapel. Their ability for elaborating intricate filigree items, hammocks and embroidery, among other things, is astounding.

Temozón Sur.

The ideal spot to go back in time and breathe the atmosphere of economic prosperity in which Yucatán one lived. In the middle of the 17th century production centered on cattle breeding and was later complemented by the cultivation of corn. This hacienda allows us to appreciate the onset of the era of splendor; visitors, in addition to enjoying a gratifying rest, can see industrial relics and elements pertaining to henequen fiber processing.

Petac.

Petac dates from the 17th century and was built on the ruins of a Mayan site. It is located on the Cuxtal ecological reserve and offers visitors a quiet atmosphere and luxurious installations. This hacienda is offered exclusively as a rental and has all the necessary services to accommodate up to 10 people, living in traditional Yucatecan style.

Santa Rosa de Lima.

Founded in the 18th century this hacienda is representative of the transition which occurred in the state when henequen production gave way to the cultivation of savila (aloe vera). Its restoration shows in detail the tasteful style in which it was built and the comfort it affords is incomparable, making visitors feel right at home. To one side of the main house is the pool, a scale reproduction of the haltun, which the Maya built for bathing.


For more information please visit: http://www.yucatan.gob.mx/estado/turismo/turismo.htm