Nearby town

Ciudad Vieja

The valley where the capital stood before Antigua, destroyed in 1541; today a town with a colonial church.

Before Antigua, the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala stood in the Almolonga Valley, on the slopes of Volcán de Agua. In 1541 a torrent of water and mud came down the volcano and destroyed the city; among the victims was Beatriz de la Cueva, the first woman to govern in Spanish America. After the tragedy, the capital was moved to the Panchoy Valley, where Antigua was founded.

Today Ciudad Vieja is a quiet town with a colonial church facing its main square. Historians still debate exactly where that first city stood, which adds a touch of mystery to the visit.

Automatically translated from Spanish.

Tips

Combine it with San Juan del Obispo or a farm in the area on the same outing.

Location

Price not published

View hotel

Distances as the crow flies.

Nearby

Market

Antigua municipal market

The locals' market: fruit, flowers, traditional food and crafts, next to the camioneta bus terminal.

4.6 km from here

Church

Escuela de Cristo Church

A Baroque church that survived the earthquakes and is still in use, in a quiet neighborhood south of the center.

4.6 km from here

Ruins of the Recolección church and monastery, destroyed by earthquake. Antigua Guatemala. — Simon Burchell · CC BY-SA 4.0

Colonial ruins

La Recolección Ruins

Antigua's most dramatic ruins: huge blocks from the vault lying where they fell inside the church.

4.7 km from here

Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (1) — Hans Birger Nilsen · CC BY-SA 2.0

Landmark

Palace of the Captains General

The long arcade on the south side of Parque Central, seat of the colonial government of all of Central America.

4.7 km from here