Chuminópolis is located east of Mérida’s historic center. According to local tradition, the name comes from a combination of "Chumin" (a nickname for Domingo) and "Polis" (the Greek word for city). This area was once entirely owned by Sr. José Domingo Sosa, a wealthy landowner and prominent citizen, who built a chapel here—sadly demolished in 1944.
During its early years, Chuminópolis was the Chinese district, home to Chinese migrants who had come to work on the railroad.
Landmarks & Development
- Quinta El Olvido (House of Forgetting) – One of the most beautiful buildings in the area, built in the late 19th century by Rafael Quintero, the engineer who paved Mérida’s streets.
- Chempech – A nearby neighborhood where Yucatán’s first brewery was built in 1900. It was later sold to Grupo Modelo and closed in 2002. Today, part of the property is now Plaza Sendero, featuring supermarkets, a movie theater, and restaurants. The old brewery silos remain, with future plans to convert them into a restaurant.
- Casa de la Cristiandad – A former Franciscan monastery, also known as Hacienda San Pedro Chukuaxí.
Just north of Chuminópolis is Jardines Miraflores, a historic middle-class fraccionamiento. In recent years, this entire area has grown, thanks to its proximity to downtown.
