Cámara Houses facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Cámara Houses |
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| 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 |
| Completed | 1911 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Gustave Umbdenstock |
The Cámara Houses (in Spanish: Las Casas Cámara), also called the Twin Houses (Las Casas Gemelas), are two amazing historic homes. You can find them at 495 Paseo de Montejo in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
These grand houses were built between 1908 and 1911. They were designed by Gustave Umbdenstock, a French architect. He used a fancy style called Beaux-Arts design mixed with the French Second Empire Style.
At first, the houses were private homes for the very important de la Cámara family. In 1964, one house was bought by the Barbachano family. Since 2021, this house has been open to everyone as a museum.
Many famous people have visited these houses over the years. These guests include Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco. Also, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, Umberto II of Italy, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis have been guests.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Mérida's Golden Age
Between 1870 and 1920, the Yucatán area became very rich. This happened because of a plant called henequen. Henequen was used to make strong ropes, and selling it brought a lot of money.
In 1888, some wealthy landowners and business people had an idea. They wanted to build a beautiful wide street, like the Champs Elysées in Paris. They named it Paseo de Montejo.
Soon, many rich families in Yucatán started building huge, European-style mansions along Paseo de Montejo. Some of these famous homes include Casa Vales, Palacio Cantón, and Quinta Montes Molina.
Building the Twin Houses
In 1905, two brothers, Ernesto and Camilo Cámara, decided to build their own houses. They wanted two homes in a classic style called neoclassical. They owned a large piece of land, over 3,000 square meters, right on Paseo de Montejo.
The de la Cámara family was very important during the time of Colonial Period. They became part of the important families in Mexico. They owned a lot of land in the Yucatán.
During the henequen boom, they became one of the richest families. They controlled how henequen was grown and sold. This made them very wealthy.
The Cámara brothers contacted Gustave Umbdenstock in 1905. He was a French architect. He had studied at the famous École des Beaux-Arts de Paris. He also designed the "Palais de France" for a big event in St. Louis in 1904.
Umbdenstock agreed to design the two houses in Mérida. All the special building materials would be brought in from Europe. He was in charge of the building plans, the outside look, and the inside design.
Inside the Grand Design
By 1907, the building plans were ready. Umbdenstock even had them printed in a French magazine. The magazine called them "Hôtels particuliers" (which means private mansions) in Mérida, Mexico.
The houses were designed with four floors. They had a tall central area with a skylight. Around this area were many rooms and a grand staircase. There were also two smaller staircases for the servants.
The outside of the houses looked very fancy. They were designed in the Beaux-Arts design and Second Empire style. They would have looked perfect on a street in Paris.
Inside, around the large main hall, were different lounges, a library, a dining room, and a game room. Each house also had 10 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms.
Construction began in 1908. Manuel G. Cantón, a civil engineer, oversaw the work. He made sure the houses were built exactly as Umbdenstock designed them. Cantón had also built the Cantón Palace before.
From Private Homes to Public Museum
The Mexican Revolution started in November 1910. The houses were not finished yet. But even with the fighting, work continued. The southernmost house was completed in September 1911.
Many materials came from Europe. This included fancy ceiling finishes and Carrara marble for the floors. The beautiful iron railings for the stairs and balconies also came from Europe.
The houses also had modern features for their time. They had hidden plumbing, electricity, and even telephone service.
Both houses were private homes for the Cámara family. People started calling them las Casas Cámara, after the owners. They are also known as the Twin Houses, even though they are similar but not exactly the same.
In 1964, one of the houses was sold. It was bought by Fernando Barbachano Gomez Rul. He was a successful businessman who helped grow tourism in Yucatán.
For over 100 years, the Cámara Houses were private homes. But in 2021, one of the houses became a museum. Maruja Barbachano Herrero, the owner, opened it to the public.
The other house is still privately owned. It was recently bought by Mario Molina, a wealthy heir of the Molina family.
As mentioned, many important international guests have visited these houses. They include Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco. Also, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, Umberto II of Italy, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Gallery
Images for kids
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Both houses were designed by Gustave Umbdenstock, a French architect.
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The grand staircase was built in the French Second Empire Style. It has columns made of Carrara marble from Italy.
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The Cámara Houses viewed from Paseo de Montejo
See also
In Spanish: Casas Gemelas para niños
