Antigua Guatemala

Antigua, the capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala, was founded in the early 16th century in an earthquake-prone region, it was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 but its principal monuments are still preserved as ruins.

In the space of under three centuries the city, which was built on a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance, acquired a number of superb monuments. Antigua Guatemala is a market town for the surrounding highland producers of coffee beans, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, and vegetables.

Antigua grew slowly through the 19th century, during which period some restoration work was done on the former cathedral, now serving as a parish church. But it was not until the mid-20th century that the historic and architectural value of the colonial buildings and ruins began to be appreciated.

In 1944 the Government of Guatemala, declared Antigua Guatemala a National Monument, giving formal recognition to the site as a unique part of Guatemala's historic and cultural patrimony. In 1965 the Pan American Institute of Geography and History named Antigua the "Monumental City of the Americas". Four years later the Consejo Nacional para la Protección de Antigua Guatemala was established.

Today this Council oversees restoration work and sets guidelines for new construction work in Antigua, with the goal of preserving the colonial ambience and integrity of the city. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the city was designated a Cultural Heritage of Mankind site by UNESCO in 1979, further emphasizing the uniqueness of the preserved colonial architecture and the cultural value of Antigua's great beauty to all the world's people.