 Mérida has one of the largest "centro histórico" districts in the Americas (surpassed only by Mexico City and Havana, Cuba).Colonial homes line the city streets to this day, in various states of disrepair and renovation; the historical center of Mérida is currently undergoing a minor renaissance as more and more people are moving into the old buildings and reviving their former glory.In August 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the city on his third trip to Mexico.