On December 16, 1561, when Pius IV issued a bull declaring the main parish church of Mérida to be a cathedral and the residence of the bishop of Yucatán and Cozumel, appointing its patron as Saint Ildephonsus of Toledo. The first permanent bishop of the diocese was the monk Francisco Toral, and during his tenure from 1562 to 1572, the construction of the Mérida Cathedral began. Later, during the episcopacy of Gregorio de Montalvo (1580–1587), the work was significantly accelerated, and finally, Bishop Juan de Isquierdo (1587–1692) completed the construction of the temple on November 4, 1598. The project was led by architects Pedro de Aulestia, Juan Miguel de Aguero, and Gregorio de la Torre. Among them, Aguero was considered the person who had the greatest influence on the architecture of the Mérida Cathedral; in fact, his name and title as chief master were inscribed on the inner ring of the temple’s dome for three centuries. Enslaved Maya Indians labored on the construction of Mérida’s main cathedral. They were forced to dismantle their own temples and then use the resulting stones to build the Christian church. According to Catholic priests, this was meant to symbolize the victory of Christianity over local beliefs.

The construction of the Cathedral of San Ildefonso lasted a total of 37 years. Its appearance resembles a well-fortified fortress. The Yucatán Cathedral, consecrated in honor of San Ildefonso—that is, Saint Ildephonsus of Toledo, who headed the archdiocese of Toledo in the 7th century—is considered the first temple to appear in mainland America and is the oldest cathedral in Mexico. Chroniclers of that time described the cathedral with admiration. Francisco de Cárdenas Valencia wrote in 1618 that “this is undoubtedly the most beautiful and finest temple built to date in the Indies.”

The architectural plan of the cathedral strives for pure Renaissance style and is executed in a basilican (rectangular) style with dimensions of 66.75 m by 31.30 m. The height of its vaults is 22.27 m; the dome rises to 33.60 m, and the towers reach 43.50 m. It is divided into three naves—the widest being the central one—bounded by 12 Doric order columns corresponding to 16 other half-columns attached to the walls, which support the half-columns made in quarries, upon which rest 20 vaulted or ribbed vaults. The dome—one of the first in the New World—has an orange shape, is located in the fifth bay of the central nave, and is crowned with a dome-shaped lantern decorated with pilasters of the same Doric order. The central nave, dome, and cross vaults are adorned with beautiful stone carvings. The dome closely resembles the model of the Pantheon; externally, it has a false stabilizing drum and has the same number of moldings as the ancient Roman building, resting on moldings and featuring a crown of windows below.

Renaissance features of the Mérida Cathedral are evident throughout the temple’s architecture. The facade enlivens the interior of the temple with highly geometric and striking solutions—strictly delineated zones of light and shadow—and a taste for large cubic masses. The central front part is done in Corinthian style and consists of two strongly emphasized fluted pilasters supporting a pedimented cornice and amphora-shaped projections; niches with statues of Saints Peter and Paul are located between the pilasters. The side portals are modeled after the central one but are much simpler: pediments without pilasters and with a sharp change in scale, confirming the Mannerist style of the temple. The entire ensemble is dominated by a large triumphal arch, one of the few of its kind in New Spanish architecture.

After the completion of the cathedral’s construction, work began on decorating it with altars, ornaments, bells, chalices, choir books, and other items necessary for worship. For example, the king granted 24,000 ducats, received in 1618.

Over the past centuries, the cathedral has been reconstructed many times, but restorers have managed to preserve the original architectural style characteristic of 16th-century buildings. The nave of the temple is ascetically decorated. The walls made of white marble lack the lavish gilded decorations typical of other Mexican temples. The cathedral houses several wooden statues. One is located behind the central altar, and another is installed in a small chapel. Thousands of people come to venerate it annually. This sculpture is a replica of a church statue depicting Jesus Christ. The original sculpture, which has not survived to this day, once survived a fire. Since then, it has been called the Burnt Christ. This name has been preserved for the copy located in the Mérida Cathedral.

The Renaissance-Mannerist features of the Mérida Cathedral manifest throughout the temple’s architecture. Overall, the facade corresponds to the same rational solutions that enliven the temple’s interior: highly geometric and striking solutions—strictly delineated zones of light and shadow—and a taste for large cubic masses. The central front part is done in Corinthian style and consists of two strongly emphasized fluted pilasters supporting a pedimented cornice and amphora-shaped projections; niches with statues of Saints Peter and Paul are located between the pilasters. The side portals are modeled after the central one but are much simpler: pediments without pilasters and with a sharp change in scale, confirming the Mannerist style of the temple. The entire ensemble is dominated by a large triumphal arch, one of the few of its kind in New Spanish architecture.

In the main altar is a large depiction of the crucified Christ, known as the "Christ of Unity," which is considered the largest wooden image of Jesus Christ crucified under the ceiling in existence, created by the Spanish artist Lapaiese del Río, and was designed to replace the existing altar that was destroyed in the final years of the 1915 movement. Also highly revered is the image of Jesus Christ known as the "Christ of the Blisters."

Another well-known image is the depiction of "Santa Eulalia," gifted by Spanish Mérida to Yucatec Mérida in the mid-1960s.

In the 19th century, during a period of political instability, there were several robberies during which part of the treasures and works of art were stolen. On September 24, 1915, upon the entry of revolutionary troops under the command of Salvador Alvarado, the cathedral was looted, and part of its priceless heritage was lost, including Baroque and Churrigueresque style altars dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, the cathedral treasury, and the Walker organ built in 1902. In 1916, the Chapel of San José and the Chapel of the Rosary were demolished to separate the cathedral from the bishop’s residence (now the Museum of Contemporary Art), leaving what is currently a pedestrian walkway called the Passage of the Revolution.

Sources:

http://catedraldemerida.org.mx/historia/

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catedral_de_Yucatán