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Valladolid, Quintana Roo Mexico

Photography by Bill Bell

Named after Valladolid, at the time the capital of Spain, the first Valladolid in Yucatán was established by Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Montejo's nephew on May 28, 1543 at some distance from the current town at a lagoon named Chouac-Ha. Early Spanish settlers complained about the mosquitos and humidity at that location, and petitioned to have Valladolid moved further inland. On March 24, 1545, Valladolid was relocated to its current location, built atop a Maya town called Zaci or Zaci- Val, whose buildings were dismantled to reuse the stones to build the Spanish Colonial town. The following year the Maya people revolted, and were put down with additional Spanish troops coming from Mérida.

Valladolid was long the third city of the Yucatán Peninsula (after Mérida and Campeche) in size and importance until the start of the 20th century. It had a sizable well-to-do Criollo population, with a number of old Spanish style mansions in the old city. Valladolid was nicknamed The Sultaness of the East.

In 1840 the city had some 15,000 people. Valladolid and the surrounding region was the scene of intense battle during Yucatán's Caste War, and the Latino forces were forced to abandon the city on March 14, 1848, with half being killed by ambush before they reached Mérida. Valladolid was sacked by the Maya rebels; it was recaptured later in the war.

 Sights

Cenote Zací.Notable sights in Valladolid are the Colonial era Cathedral and the Convent of San Bernadino, and Cenote Zaci, a landscaped natural well with a restaurant. The town makes for a popular base for visiting nearby Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza and Ek'Balam.