Guatemala's 18th Century Cathedral in Antigua, GT

By the year 1773 Antigua, the old capital of Guatemala, boasted of the main 18th Century Cathedral and the government palace, over 30 churches, 18 convents and monasteries, 15 hermitages, 10 chapels, the University of San Carlos, 5 hospitals, an orphanage, along with many fountains and parks.

Founded in 1543, with a population of 60,000, the city was surpassed only by Mexico City and Lima according to several authors.

The east side of the Plaza de Armas offers the famous and great 18th Century Cathedral in Antigua, taking eleven years for its construction with its inauguration on November 5, 1680. Buried here are several famous people from the Spanish Conquest—Bernal Diaz and Don Pedro de Alvarado. Laid out with three aisles and salient transepts in the shape of a cross, its bays are located off the side aisles which contain several chapels. Considered the most lavishly furnished church in Central America, it is also considered the largest one.

The present day 18th Century Cathedral in Antigua was reconstructed in the late 1820s after the 1773 Santa Marta earthquakes, with the cathedral converted into a parish church. The only differing aspects are on a minor basis, with the lower level very much like it was when it was first completed. On a historical level, the ruins of the giant nave can be entered by tourists and visitors from the south portal, well worth the small and modest admission charge.

Nearby attractions around the Plaza de Armas are the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, or city hall, which dates back to 1743. Presently, it houses two museums, the Museo de Santiago and the Museo del Libro Antiguo. Other attractions are the entry to the Universidad de San Carlos, Las Capuchinas, and the La Merced.