City Hall Palace and its museums

The Palacio del Noble Ayuntamiento (City Hall Palace), on the north side of Parque Central, is one of the few colonial buildings that came through the 1773 earthquakes almost intact. Its solid, understated double stone arcade is still the seat of Antigua's municipal government.

Inside are two small but interesting museums:

• The Santiago Museum, with objects from the colonial period: weapons, ceramics, furniture and portraits.
• The Museum of Old Books (Museo del Libro Antiguo), a reminder that Central America's first printing press operated in Antigua in the 17th century. It displays a replica of the press and books from the period.

The upper level of the arcade offers one of the best views of the park with Volcán de Agua in the background.