remained a very small town, functioning mainly as the settlement for servants working in the haciendas. At the beginning of the 18th century, it had a population of 126 people, jumping to just 145 in 1900. There was no primary or secondary road through Cholul, which limited the presence of outsiders. In 1937, Mexico’s President Lázaro Cárdenas expropriated much of the land and institutionalized the ejido — a system of commmunal property. This meant that the servants of Cholul, like those in other parts of the state, obtained collective land titles and formed assemblies, making them ejidatarios, people given the right to use communal land. Working conditions improved and work diversified. Ejidatarios could earn extra income by going to the farms of former hacienda owners. However, even after this change in social composition, there were no significant population movements. Until the late 1990s, the town remained mostly apart from Mérida. Then things changed. As of 2020, Cholul has a population of over 17,000. With the real estate boom in recent years, developments and housing areas have been increased in the region, but mainly in Cholul’s outskirts, which has allowed the Plaza Principal to maintain its original look and feel. Building lots remain plentiful, but are getting snapped up by foreigners, nationals from outside Yucatán, and locals seeking more space and peace. Houses on the market range from modest to opulent, sometimes verging on the grandiose. Closer to the Periférico, the highway loop
A house north of Cholul’s historic Plaza Principal was designed by FMT Estudio for a tech-industry client intending to move here from Mexico City. The resident will telecommute from his new home.
YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4
A mural was created by local children with the help from CUAM, Habla, Edúcate, and Sherwin Williams.
At yucatanmagazine.com read about an apiary in Cholul where sacred bees are cared for. that surrounds most of Mérida, high rises alter the skyline. The current 1940s-era Municipal Palace was restored after its collapse by Hurricane Gilberto in 1988. It houses the municipal police station, the civil registry, an elections station, and school. Annexed to the Municipal Palace is
the market, library and Cultural Center Jacinto Canek, where classes in handicrafts, painting, embroidery, guitar, and counseling are offered. The church dates from the mid-17th century and is dedicated to San Pedro Apóstol. Its Guadalupan guilds date back to 1948. Outside, vaquerías are celebrated in April and August and feature traditional dances. Cholul has its own Carnival, Hanal Pixan, and Christmas posadas. When visiting the square there’s an undeniably welcoming feel. Even today, Cholul has not lost its slow-living vibe.
Across from Cholul’s main square, the Palacio Municipal and an adjacent complex that houses a library, market and cultural center, is the heart of the municipality.
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