CHURCHES. 



91 



In the front wall of a house in a street running 

 north from the plaza, and also in a corner house near 

 the square of the Alameda, are sculptured figures from 

 the ruins of ancient buildings, of which Mr. Cather- 

 wood made drawings, but, in the multiplicity of other 

 subjects, we do not think it worth while to present 

 them to the reader. 



The great distinguishing feature of Merida, as of 

 all the cities of Spanish America, is in its churches. 

 The great Cathedral; the parish church and convent 

 of San Cristoval ; the church of the Jesuits ; the 

 church and convent of the Mejorada ; the chapels 

 of San Juan Bautista ; of Our Lady of Candelaria ; 

 of the Santa Lucia and the Virgin, and the convent 

 de las monjas, or the nunnery, with its church and 

 enclosures occupying two whole squares, are all in- 

 teresting in their history. Some are of good style 

 in architecture, and rich in ornaments ; but there is 

 one other, not yet mentioned, which I regard as the 

 most interesting and remarkable edifice in Merida. 

 It is the old Franciscan convent. It stands on an 

 eminence in the eastern part of the city, and is en- 

 closed by a high wall, with turrets, forming what is 

 now called the Castillo. These walls and turrets are 

 still erect, but within is ruin irretrievable. 



In 1820 the new constitution obtained by the pa- 

 triots in Spain reached the colonies, and on the 30th 

 of May Don Juan Rivas Vertiz, then Gefe Politico, 

 and now living in Merida, a fine memorial of the 

 olden time, pubHshed it in the plaza. The church 



