The Amazing Uayma Church
Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico
by M. Lewis
We have been to Valladolid several times during the past few years. Only recently did we hear about this hidden Yucatan gem. Thanks to our friend, Eliane, from Tamarindo B&B, we visited one of those gems last week.
Built by the Franciscan order in 1642, the Santo Domingo Church in Uayma (pronounced Why-ma) was a convent at one point in its history and was nearly destroyed by the Mayans during the caste wars (1847-1901). It remained a roofless ruin until restoration began in 2003.
According to a Yucatan Today story published in 2010: “The predominant red color of the buildings represents the martyrdom and sacrifice of Christ, while the green represents hope. The white stars and the roses are a reference to the worship of the Virgin Mary. There is also a headless (sic: it is a double-headed) eagle on the façade, which was a Franciscan symbol adopted during the construction, representing the Catholic union between the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal.”
As you can see from the photos, this is worth the small detour when you are near Valladolid. Take the highway NW toward Izamal about 12 km from Valladolid.
