Catedral de San Ildefonso

The Catedral de San Ildefonso is recognizable by its austere, fortress-like façade of white limestone, which rises prominently above the east side of the Plaza Grande. Completed in fifteen ninety-eight, it holds the distinction of being one of the earliest cathedrals finished on the mainland of the Americas. Its design reflects a sober Spanish Renaissance style, intended to project strength during a period when colonial control over the Yucatán remained insecure.