Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cheological, Spanish Colonial, Porfiato haciendas. Campeche, state and city, has invested
much capital in restoration projects.
Campeche is now graced with an attractive three-mile
malecón
, a wide curving walking,
skating, bicycling and jogging path that follows the natural shoreline. Modern sculptures,
rest stops and
miramars
are attractively placed along the path. Campeche is a UNESCO
World Heritage City. The original fortress colonial city was completely walled, protected
by massive stone ramparts, towers and cannons to shield Campeche from pirates.
Much of the original wall, six-sided and in the form of a boat with two bows, still stands
guard, cupping Campeche's colonial center. Arched entrances are an attractive feature.
You can walk a section of the ramparts. A gatekeeper charges a fee, locks you in and says,
"There is a bell over the entrance; when you're ready to leave, ring the bell." From the
ramparts, you view the city, and amazingly you're looking over and behind the city's street
walls, and so much terrain is abandoned and neglected. There are acres within the old city
that are ready for renewal and development.
When UNESCO added Campeche to its World Heritage list in 1999, the city was reborn
in the past. It took two years to remove all telephone poles, overhead lines and cables and
bury them underground. Building facades were painted pastel blue, green,
rose, yellow and white, and the original decorative elements were emphasized. The library,
once the City Hall, was completely restored and the
portales
illuminated. Street lamps
hung from wrought iron supports were attached to stone walls. Signs no longer protruded
out into the streets. Building facades were easy to see and appreciate.
The cathedral was also cleaned and illuminated and the central park restored. A new kiosk
was built in the center of the square. Outdoor tables and restaurant service are offered un-
der its protective roof.
Bordering the central park, Casa Número 6, once a splendid house with arabesque arches,
had fallen into decay. Over the years it had served a variety of commercial uses, including
a cantina and a furniture store. It is now the Centro Cultural. Pre-restoration photos look
more like a Mayan ruin than a city mansion.
Today artists perform her and downstairs
rooms display period furniture.
What's new in Campeche is, “The Old.” Restorations stand out. Fortifications that once
protected the city with cannons are now museums with Mayan artifacts.
