Cámara Houses Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids The Cámara Houses

General information
Town or city	Paseo de Montejo 495, Mérida, Yucatán
Country	Mexico
Coordinates	20°58′36″N 89°37′11″W / 20.97667°N 89.61972°W / 20.97667; -89.61972
Completed	1911; 114 years ago (1911)
Design and construction
Architect	Gustave Umbdenstock

The Cámara Houses are two amazing historic homes in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. They are also known as the Twin Houses (Las Casas Gemelas) because they look very similar. These grand houses were built between 1908 and 1911. They were designed by a French architect named Gustave Umbdenstock in a fancy style called Beaux-Arts.

At first, the Cámara Houses were private homes for the wealthy de la Cámara family. Later, in 1964, one of the houses was bought by the Barbachano family. Since 2021, one of the houses has been open to everyone as a museum. Many famous people have visited these houses, including Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

History of the Twin Houses
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History of the Twin Houses

How Mérida Grew Rich

Between 1870 and 1920, the Yucatán Peninsula became very rich. This was thanks to the henequen industry. Henequen is a plant used to make strong fibers for ropes and other products. Many wealthy families in Yucatán made their fortunes from this industry.

In 1888, a group of rich landowners and business people decided to build a beautiful street in Mérida. They wanted it to be like the famous Champs-Élysées in Paris. They called this new street Paseo de Montejo. Soon, many rich families built large, European-style mansions along this street.

The Cámara Family and Their Homes

In 1905, two brothers, Ernesto and Camilo Cámara, decided to build two houses on Paseo de Montejo. They owned a large piece of land there. The de la Cámara family was very important and rich during the time of New Spain (when Mexico was a Spanish colony). They owned a lot of land.

During the henequen boom, the Cámara family became even wealthier. They were among the richest families in the Americas. They controlled much of the henequen production and trade.

Both houses were designed by Gustave Umbdenstock, a French architect who had studied at the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris.

The grand staircase was built in the French Second Empire Style. It has columns made of Carrara marble from Italy.

The Cámara brothers hired Gustave Umbdenstock, a famous French architect, to design their homes. Umbdenstock had studied at a top art school in Paris. He was also the main architect for the "Palais de France" at a big exhibition in St. Louis in 1904. He was in charge of everything: the floor plans, the outside look (façades), and the interior design of both houses.

Designing the Grand Houses

By 1907, the designs were ready. Umbdenstock even had them published in a French magazine. The houses were designed to be four stories tall. They had a large central area with a skylight, and a grand staircase. There were also smaller staircases for the servants.

The outside of the houses looked like they belonged on a fancy street in Paris. Inside, around the main hall, there were many rooms. These included several lounges, a library, a dining room, and a game room. Each house also had 10 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms.

Building the Twin Houses

Construction started in 1908. A civil engineer named Manuel G. Cantón oversaw the building. He made sure the houses were built exactly as Umbdenstock designed them. Manuel Cantón had also built the Cantón Palace, another famous mansion in Mérida.

Even though the Mexican Revolution began in 1910, work on the houses continued. The first house was finished in September 1911. Many of the building materials came from Europe. This included special finishes for the ceilings, Carrara marble for the floors and columns, and iron railings for the stairs and balconies. The houses also had modern features like hidden plumbing, electricity, and telephone service.

Life in the Houses

Both houses were private homes for the Cámara family for many years. People started calling them las Casas Cámara or the Twin Houses (Casas gemelas). Even though they are called "twin," they are similar but not exactly identical.

In 1964, one of the houses was sold to Fernando Barbachano Gomez Rul. He was a very important businessman who helped grow the tourism industry in Yucatán.

For over 100 years, the Cámara Houses were private homes. But in 2021, one of the houses was opened to the public as a museum. The owner, Maruja Barbachano Herrero, made this possible. The other house is still privately owned by Mario Molina, who is from the wealthy Molina family.