Difficult Stairs
Hacienda Mundaca
Hard to Climb Stairs
This story behind the hacienda, 4km south of town, is perhaps more intriguing than the ruins that remain. A 19th-century slave trader and reputed pirate, Fermín Antonio Mundaca de Marechaja, fell in love with a local woman known as La Trigueña (Brunette). To win her, Mundaca built a two-story mansion complete with gardens and graceful archways, as well as a small fortification.
But while Mundaca was building the house, La Trigueña married another islander. Brokenhearted, Mundaca died and his house, fortress and garden fell into disrepair. Some documents indicate that Mundaca died during a visit to Mérida and was buried there. Others say he died on the island, and indeed there’s a grave in the town cemetery that supposedly contains his remains. Despite the skull and crossbones on his headstone (a common memento mori) there’s no evidence in history books that Mundaca was ever a pirate. Instead, it is said he accumulated his wealth by transporting slaves from Africa to Cuba, where they were forced to work in mines and sugarcane fields.
Today the mostly ruined complex has some walls and foundations, a large central pond, some rusting cannons and a partially rebuilt house. At the southern end stand a gateway and a small garden. You can still make out the words Entrada de La Trigueña (La Trigueña’s Entrance) etched into the impressive stone arch of the gate.
Read more: www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/yucatan-peninsula/isla-mujere...
Difficult Stairs
Hacienda Mundaca
Hard to Climb Stairs
This story behind the hacienda, 4km south of town, is perhaps more intriguing than the ruins that remain. A 19th-century slave trader and reputed pirate, Fermín Antonio Mundaca de Marechaja, fell in love with a local woman known as La Trigueña (Brunette). To win her, Mundaca built a two-story mansion complete with gardens and graceful archways, as well as a small fortification.
But while Mundaca was building the house, La Trigueña married another islander. Brokenhearted, Mundaca died and his house, fortress and garden fell into disrepair. Some documents indicate that Mundaca died during a visit to Mérida and was buried there. Others say he died on the island, and indeed there’s a grave in the town cemetery that supposedly contains his remains. Despite the skull and crossbones on his headstone (a common memento mori) there’s no evidence in history books that Mundaca was ever a pirate. Instead, it is said he accumulated his wealth by transporting slaves from Africa to Cuba, where they were forced to work in mines and sugarcane fields.
Today the mostly ruined complex has some walls and foundations, a large central pond, some rusting cannons and a partially rebuilt house. At the southern end stand a gateway and a small garden. You can still make out the words Entrada de La Trigueña (La Trigueña’s Entrance) etched into the impressive stone arch of the gate.
Read more: www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/yucatan-peninsula/isla-mujere...