Traveled Art of Mérida’s Centro

Step inside many of Mérida’s historic structures, look beneath your feet, and you may discover artistic pasta tile flooring. Its beauty traces storied history of 19th-century Mérida, and the alluring invitation to savor the colonial homes and corner markets showcasing its classical grace.

The tradition of the Mosaico (pasta tile), was introduced by Spaniards centuries ago. The cement molded flooring has long been used around the globe and is considered old world elegance. Antique European tiles imported from France, Spain and Belgium grace many of Centro’s home, and part of the draw to expats buying here in Mérida. These tiles carry value, and whispers of time-honored footsteps.

The colorful cement tiles were considered high-end ultimate flooring that decorated the palaces of the Tsars, the mansions of the Côte d’Azure, Gaudi’s Barcelona and Berlin’s official buildings. Having made their way to Mérida, there are many one-of-a-kind tiles that could never be exactly duplicated, making homes and buildings works of art in the Yucatán capital city.

A timeless classic, has never lost its charm here. Factories in Mérida still produce the beautiful flooring, yet there is nothing quite like historic originals dating back hundreds of years.

Next time you are in Mérida’s Centro, let the natural echo of your footsteps across the tile, draw your eye to an undiscovered exploration of color and design covering the earth.

The Making of Mosaic Tiles

It all starts with hand-pouring a thick, wet sandy concrete into a square mold. A design mold is set on top of the concrete, and colored pottery slip is poured to follow the pattern.

For less than sixty seconds, the mold is hydraulic pressed, resulting in a 20 cm by 20 cm tile that is about an inch thick and heavier than the eye would think.

by Mandy Murry

Mandy Murry is an accredited international travel, lifestyle, health and wellness writer, with features published in Thrive Global, Bella Grace, 24Karat, Slug, NC Living, X Magazine, The Huffington Post, The Yucatán Times, Live and Invest Overseas, TravelAge West and more. Her captivating storytelling adds magic to her words and her passion for writing is as contagious as her passion for life and cloudsurfing (aka flying). Mandy blogs at cloudsurfing.life.

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Mandy Murry is an accredited international travel, lifestyle, health and wellness writer, with features published in Thrive Global, Bella Grace, 24Karat, Slug, NC Living, X Magazine, The Huffington Post, The Yucatán Times, Live and Invest Overseas, TravelAge West and more. Her captivating story-telling adds magic to her words and her passion for writing is as contagious as her passion for life and cloudsurfing (aka flying). Mandy blogs at cloudsurfing.life. 

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