Casa Morisca

A fascinating and unexpected façade rises before you here. The Casa Morisca, built between 1908 and 1909 during a time of great prosperity, immediately sets itself apart from Mérida’s predominantly neoclassical architecture with its Neo-Mudéjar style inspired by Arab-Andalusian art. Commissioned by María Alzina Alpuche and her husband, the Spanish merchant Genaro Pérez Santos, this singular residence blends Andalusian nostalgia with local craftsmanship, combining horseshoe arches, two-tone brickwork, colorful stained glass and intricate geometric patterns. Behind the façade, the interior breaks with the traditional colonial patio in favor of a central vestibule topped by a richly decorated dome, which forms the symbolic heart of the house. Throughout the twentieth century, Casa Morisca passed through many different phases, serving in turn as a private home, a consulate, a social club, a maternity hospital and later office space, before being restored in the 90s and recognized as a historic monument. Today, even as a redevelopment project is underway, it remains one of the most remarkable examples of Mérida’s architectural eclecticism and a reflection of Yucatán’s cultural openness during its golden age.