Isla Mujeres, a Mexican island in the Caribbean Sea, 13 kilometres off the coast from Cancún, a popular vacation destination known for its beautiful beaches such as Playa Norte, resorts, hotels and for scuba diving and snorkeling on the surrounding coral reefs will see the rehabilitation of the historic Hacienda Mundaca, a 19th century plantation house located 4 kilometres south of town that will reopen to island visitors.
Mayor Atenea Gómez Ricalde has spearheaded the start of the renovation of this emblematic site stating that the goal is preserving the municipality’ s historical and cultural heritage.
During an event on the Hacienda Mundaca esplanade, the Mayor said that the new project fulfils the commitment to rescue this complex, a site steeped in history and nature which will be added to Isla Mujeres’ tourist attractions, emphasizing that this rehabilitation represents a comprehensive effort to rescue and and conserve invaluable heritage, promoting the identity and pride of the island community.
The Mayor indicated that Hacienda Mundaca, currently in a state of deterioration due to exposure to environmental factors and the passage of time, lacked adequate conditions to safely receive tourists.The renovation will preserve its original structures and recover spaces for recreation and family gatherings.
Hacienda Mundaca is located in the central part of Isla Mujeres, on the way to Garrafon cliff, right by the side of Playa Paraiso and Playa Lancheros and currently, you can see at the southern end stands a gateway with an impressive stone arch at the entrance of the complex, a partially rebuilt house, some walls, rusty cannons, and a beautiful pond.
The house formerly called “Hacienda Vista Alegre” is a plantation house build by Fermin Mundaca de Marchega a 19th century Spanish pirate who lived on the Mexican island after years of plundering the Caribbean, fighting against the powerful British navy and trading slaves.
History, narrations and legends tells that once retired the Spanish pirate found in Isla Mujeres a safe place to live, he fell in love with a local young woman called “la Trigueña” (The Brunette) and to win her he started to develop a two - story mansion with engraved stones, orchard, exotic flowered gardens, and cattle, to live a happy life but when Mundaca was building the hacienda,“la Trigueña” married another islander. The brokenhearted former pirate died, and the hacienda fell into disrepair.
Some documents indicate that Fermin Mundaca de Marchega died during a visit to Mérida, the capital of Mexico’s Yucatán state and was buried there. Others say he died on Isla Mujeres, and indeed there’s a grave in the town cementery that supposedly contains his remains.
The rehabilitation of Hacienda Mundaca includes general cleanup of the area, reconstruction of trails. demarcation of historical elements, rehabilitation of bathrooms, the open - air theatre and the installation of informational signage. In addition, a wooden birdwatching tower will built, enhancing the Hacienda’s natural and tourist value.
These actions are part of the Annual Investment Program for fiscal year 2025 carried out with funds from the Environmental Sanitation Right and will bring back to life a historic complex that is part of the heritage of Isla Mujeres.
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