Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala

      city, southwestern Guatemala, at an elevation of 5,029 feet (1,533 metres). Capital of the former captaincy general, Antigua Guatemala was once the most important seat of Spanish colonial government between Mexico City and Lima, Peru. Founded as Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala in 1527, it was destroyed by an eruption that swept down from the slopes of Volcán de Agua (“Volcano of Water”). The village that became reestablished on the site came to be called Ciudad Vieja (“Old City”). Another capital city with the name Santiago was constructed in 1542 near the site of Ciudad Vieja, and it became a thriving political, economic, religious, and cultural centre of some 60,000 persons. When Santiago was demolished by an earthquake in 1773, the capital was moved 28 miles (45 km) to the site of Nueva Guatemala (“New Guatemala”)—now Guatemala City—and Santiago became known as Antigua Guatemala (“Guatemala of Old”) or Antigua.

      Antigua Guatemala is noted chiefly for the ruins of colonial edifices that make it a museum of Spanish colonial history. On or near the central plaza, several of the principal buildings of the colonial capital still serve public functions; and scattered throughout the city are numerous ruins of religious structures and rebuilt private dwellings. The University of San Carlos (1676), one of the first universities in Central America, was established in Antigua; the building now houses the Museum of Colonial Art. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

      Antigua Guatemala has several modern hotels situated in quiet, picturesque surroundings. The grandeur of its setting at the base of towering volcanoes and its benign climate make the city a favourite resort and residential site. Many language schools, bookstores, and research institutes opened in Antigua in the 1990s. The annual Holy Week festival is one of the best-known in the country. A highway connects the city with Guatemala City. Pop. (2002) 32,218.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Antigua Guatemala — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Antigua Guatemala1 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Antigua Guatemala — Antigua Guatemala * Patrimoine mondial de l UNE …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Antigua (Guatemala) — Antigua Guatemala Antigua, ancienne capitale du Guatemala. Antigua Guatemala, plus connue sous le nom d Antigua, est l ancienne capitale Royaume de Guatemala. Elle est connue pour son architecture coloniale de style baroque et de Renaissance… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Antigua Guatemala — (generalmente conocida como Antigua) es una ciudad en las montañas centrales de Guatemala, famosa por su bien preservada arquitectura barroca española del Nuevo Mundo, así como un gran número de espectaculares ruinas de iglesias. Ha sido… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Antigua Guatemala — Infobox Settlement official name = PAGENAME other name = native name = nickname = Antigua or La Antigua settlement type = motto = imagesize =230px image caption = The Santa Catalina arch Antigua Guatemala flag size = image seal size = image… …   Wikipedia

  • Antigua Guatemala — 14.551666666667 90.732777777778 Koordinaten: 14° 33′ N, 90° 44′ W Antigua Guatemala …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Antigua Guatemala — Original name in latin Antigua Guatemala Name in other language Antigua, Antigua Guatemala, Antigua Gvatemala, Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de los Caballeros, Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, The Most Noble and Most Loyal City… …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • Antigua Guatemala — Antịgua Guatemạla,   Antịgua, Hauptort des Departamento Sacatepéquez, Guatemala, 1 500 m über dem Meeresspiegel zu Füßen dreier Vulkane gelegen; 15 800 Einwohner; mehrmals (1717, 1773 und 1874) von Erdbeben zerstört. Die meisten der ehemals… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Antigua Guatemala — Sp Antigva Gvatemalà Ap Antigua Guatemala L P Gvatemalos Sakatepekeso dep. centras; PPP …   Pasaulio vietovardžiai. Internetinė duomenų bazė

  • Antigua Guatemala Villas — (Антигуа Гватемала,Гватемала) Категория отеля: 4 звездочный отель Адрес: Calle de los …   Каталог отелей

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”