All about Haunted Places in Mérida, Mexico

In Mérida, there are countless stories about ghosts and haunted places, but you will also find them outside of Mérida. In the direction of Progreso, for example, lies Misnébalam, a completely abandoned town that is only inhabited by the ghosts of restless souls.

In Mérida there are many old abandoned buildings, some of which have been empty for decades, and about which myths and supernatural stories entwine. But there are also buildings where you would never think so.

Santander Bank

One example is the much visited Santander Bank branch on Paseo de Montejo. The ghost of a mother is said to be looking for the grave of her child on the property, which was there many decades ago before the building (Casa Vales) was remodeled.

Churches

Of course there are also frequently mysterious occurrences around old churches. For example, some visitors to the catedral de Mérida have claimed to have seen ghost monks and nuns as well as the ghost of a soldier.

Since the 19th century, the Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Carmen has also been haunted by the ghost of a soldier from the Caste War who hanged himself from the ceiling beams of the church.

In front of the Parroquia de Santa Ana, the ghost of an 18th century Spanish plantation owner has been seen repeatedly biting chunks of flesh from his forearm to feed himself.

And there are also reports of ghosts in the Iglesia de Santa Lucía. If you see the apparition of a black man from the 19th century in the church courtyard or hear the gentle sound of drums, there is a very specific reason for this.

Since at least 1840, there have been repeated reports that the spirit of a young woman near the Parque Hidalgo can be heard at sunset uttering incantations in an ancient Yucatec Mayan dialect in a soft melodious voice.

In December 2011, municipal workers from Mérida finally discovered an ancient Mayan burial site deep underground beneath the park.

Central Cemetery

The Central Cemetery (Cementario General) also has many stories to tell, for example, of the ghost de Don Arcadio, who still wanders in the cemetery near his grave.

More famous places

At Casa Museo Montes Molina on Paseo de Montejo, there are sightings of a ghost of a woman in a white dress and other strange appearances.

Just a few meters away at El Minaret you will find the next ghost story in a well-known building on Paseo de Montejo, which is based on a dark family history. The whimpering of an infant's ghost can be heard from a filled-in cenote on the property.

There is also thought to be something underground at another prominent location. The Maya believe that the Monumento a la Patria and the Villa Donata stand above a hidden entrance to the underworld and that there are spirits.

But it doesn't always have to be ghost stories, some buildings, such as the beautifully restored El Pinar keep other scary stories behind their walls.

Day of the Dead

Mexico has a cultural heritage rich in folklore, customs, rituals, and superstitions. With Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), for example, there is a long tradition in Mexico of remembering and honoring deceased family members on these days.

The tradition originated several thousand years ago among the Aztecs, Toltecs and other Nahua peoples, who saw death as the passage into a parallel world and in it a new beginning of life.

According to popular belief, the souls of the deceased return to visit their families on these days. On the night of November 1 to 2, the dead return to the world of the living and are joyfully awaited by their families in the cemeteries.

Book recommendation

There is a book published ("The Ghosts of Merida" from Louis E.V. Nevaer), with ghost stories from Mérida - according to the author Mexico's most haunted city.

Whether the hauntings are by dead Mayan sacrificial virgins, suicides, disappeared persons, or vengeful mistresses, the book is filled with exciting insights of Mérida's paranormal history.