Всередині Yucatán: Hidden Mérida and Beyond

Exploring forgotten regions of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Susana Ordovás and photographer Guido Taroni uncover the faded splendor of both neglected and restored homes

Susana Ordovás’s Inside Yucatán is an ode to the merging of the ancient with the contemporary. At the turn of the 20th century, more millionaires lived in Mérida than in any other city in the world, building and transforming breathtaking, lavish homes nestled into the surrounding tropical greenery like hidden jewels. Over time, nature conquered, leaving crumbling structures in place of what were once vibrant, ornately decorated estates. But today, Ordovás reveals, Yucatán’s “forsaken, decaying ruins, remnants of an illustrious past . . . are awakening from a centuries–old siesta.”

Here, in Guido Taroni’s evocative new photographs of 27 residences across the peninsula, in such places as Izamal, Mérida, and Valladolid, decadence and beauty shine through what remains of the homes’ diverse, contrasting styles, from colonial to Renaissance, Medieval to Moorish, and occasionally a combination of all. Setting the houses in context, three specially commissioned maps of the region have been beautifully illustrated by renowned artist Jesús Cisneros. In her detailed commentary, Ordovás celebrates their eccentric, distressed charm and hails the revival of this magical land.

About the Authors:

Susana Ordovás is an Irish-born writer based between Mexico City and Madrid. She is a contributor to Cabana magazine and The World of Interiors. Having spent her formative years in Africa, Susana has traveled extensively on behalf of renowned publications. Her nomadic spirit and passion for design have led her to explore and document extraordinary interiors.

Guido Taroni is a leading photographer specializing in fashion and interiors. Inspired by his uncle, renowned fashion photographer Giovanni Gastel, Taroni forged a characteristic style that has seen his work regularly exhibited as well as featured in iconic design publications such as Cabana. His books include Inside Tangier, Inside Milan, and Safari Style. He lives in Milan.

Foreword by Martina Mondadori, founder and editor-in-chief of Cabana Magazine.