I love when the pigeons scatter in a flurry at the sound of the bells of the Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol, announcing that the evening mass is about to begin.

When I read that this neighborhood—the oldest in the city—was once the site of the ancient Mayan city called T’hó, I imagined the awe the Spanish conquistadors must have felt upon discovering the five massive structures that made up these ancient religious centers. A “ruined city of giants,” guardian of knowledge about astronomy, literature, mathematics, and nature.

Now I understand why Francisco de Montejo, inspired by the grand Roman structures of his homeland, chose to name this monumental discovery Mérida.