Inside Yucatán: Hidden Mérida and Beyond

Exploring forgotten regions of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Susana Ordovás and photographer Guido Taroni uncover the faded splendor of both neglected and restored homes

Susana Ordovás’s Inside Yucatán is an ode to the merging of the ancient with the contemporary. At the turn of the 20th century, more millionaires lived in the isolated region of Mérida than in any other city in the world, building breathtaking, brightly colored homes nestled into the surrounding tropical greenery like hidden jewels. Over time, nature conquered, leaving crumbling structures in place of what were once vibrant, lavishly decorated mansions. But today, Ordovás reveals, Yucatán’s ＂forsaken, decaying ruins, remnants of an illustrious past . . . are awakening from a centuries-old siesta.＂ Here, in Guido Taroni’s evocative new photographs of more than 30 previously unseen residences across the peninsula, in such places as Izamal, Mérida, and Valladolid, decadence and beauty shine through what remains of the homes’ diverse, contrasting styles, from Renaissance to Baroque, Medieval to Moorish, and occasionally a combination of all. Setting the houses in context, three specially commissioned maps of the region have been beautifully illustrated by renowned artist Jesús Cisneros. In her detailed commentary, Ordovás celebrates their eccentric, distressed charm and hails the revival of this magical land.

Susana Ordovás is an Irish-born writer and a contributor to Cabana, Architectural Digest, and The World of Interiors, among other shelter magazines. Having been brought up in Africa and traveled extensively on behalf of leading publications, Ordovás divides her time between Spain and Mexico City, where she lives with her husband and two children. Guido Taroni is a leading photographer specializing in fashion and interiors. Inspired by his uncle, renowned fashion photographer Giovanni Gastel, Taroni forged a characteristic style that has seen his work regularly exhibited as well as featured in iconic design publications such as Cabana, World of Interiors, and Architectural Digest. His books include Inside Tangier, Inside Milan, and Safari Style. He lives in Milan. Jesús Cisneros studied art history and illustration in Spain. He has illustrated numerous books and his work has appeared in many prestigious publications. For six years he was visiting professor at Centro, University of Design, Cinema and Television, and at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, both in Mexico City. His work has been shown in solo exhibitions in Mexico City, Seoul, Marseille, Porto, Zaragoza, and Barcelona.