Sisal, Yucatán
Encyclopedia
Sisal is a seaport town in the municipality of Hunucmá in the state
of Yucatán
, Mexico
. It was the principal port of Yucatán during the henequen
boom, later overshadowed when the more modern port of Progreso
was built to the east. It lent its name to the agave-derived sisal
fiber which was shipped through it.
The town is about 53 km north north-west of Mérida
, the state capital. By law when the Yucatán was part of New Spain
, all commerce went through the port of Campeche. The residents of Mérida petititioned for a port closer to the capital, and this was granted by Spanish
royal decree on 13 February 1810. The new port of Sisal was founded in 1811, and has a late colonial era fortress, the "Castle of Sisal", and an old lighthouse
. After Yucatán's independence from Spain commerce in the port grew rapidly, and by 1845 was shipping cargos with twice the value that had previously gone through Campeche. After the development of Progreso, Sisal's importance declined and today is a small fishing
village, visited by some for its beach
.
Currently (Dec 2006) the state government is working to return this port to the splendor of centuries past through the development of projects focused on tourism as declared the governor Patricio Patron Laviada
. With the planning being done by a U.S. company and to be developed during the next governing term. The port is planned to grow in to a tourist destination as well as shelterport for fishermen and tourist vessels.
States of Mexico
The United Mexican States is a federal republic formed by 32 federal entities .According to the Constitution of 1917, the states of the federation are free and sovereign. Each state has their own congress and constitution, while the Federal District has only limited autonomy with a local Congress...
of Yucatán
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It was the principal port of Yucatán during the henequen
Henequen
Henequen is an agave whose leaves yield a fiber also called henequen which is suitable for rope and twine, but not of as high a quality as sisal. Alternative spellings are Henequin and Heniquen. It is the major plantation fiber agave of eastern Mexico, being grown extensively in Yucatán,...
boom, later overshadowed when the more modern port of Progreso
Progreso, Yucatán
Progreso is a port city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, located on the Gulf of Mexico in the north-west of the state some 30 minutes north of state capital Mérida by highway. As of the Mexican census of 2005, Progreso had an official population of 35,519 inhabitants, the fifth-largest community...
was built to the east. It lent its name to the agave-derived sisal
Sisal
Sisal is an agave that yields a stiff fibre traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. The term may refer either to the plant or the fibre, depending on context...
fiber which was shipped through it.
The town is about 53 km north north-west of Mérida
Mérida, Yucatán
Mérida is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Yucatán and the Yucatán Peninsula. It is located in the northwest part of the state, about from the Gulf of Mexico coast...
, the state capital. By law when the Yucatán was part of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
, all commerce went through the port of Campeche. The residents of Mérida petititioned for a port closer to the capital, and this was granted by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
royal decree on 13 February 1810. The new port of Sisal was founded in 1811, and has a late colonial era fortress, the "Castle of Sisal", and an old lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
. After Yucatán's independence from Spain commerce in the port grew rapidly, and by 1845 was shipping cargos with twice the value that had previously gone through Campeche. After the development of Progreso, Sisal's importance declined and today is a small fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
village, visited by some for its beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
.
Currently (Dec 2006) the state government is working to return this port to the splendor of centuries past through the development of projects focused on tourism as declared the governor Patricio Patron Laviada
Patricio Patrón Laviada
Patricio José Patrón Laviada is a Mexican politician who served as Governor of Yucatán from 2001 to 2007...
. With the planning being done by a U.S. company and to be developed during the next governing term. The port is planned to grow in to a tourist destination as well as shelterport for fishermen and tourist vessels.