Founded in 1543, Guatemala City served as Guatemala's capital for over 2 centuries. Guatemala was originally Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, St james of the noblemen of Guatemala, its first seat of government established by Pedro de Alvarado in 1524 near the Calchiquel capital of Iximche. After a 1527 Indian revolt it was moved to the lush Almolonga Valley. The site of the first Ciudad Vieja was the unstable lower slope of Agua Volcano, a few miles south of present-day Antigua, now San Miguel Escobar. In 1541 a giant mudslide wiped out the new capital after a volcanic eruption loosened a natural dam below Agua's summit. The facade of the 2nd Ciudad Vieja's 18th century Franciscan church, built by Diego de Porres, is the only colonial
period structure remaining.
The third capital was rebuilt in the center of the Almolonga Valley, presumably safer though still beneath the shadow of Agua 12,356 feet and its taller volcanic neighbors, Acantenango 13042
feet and Fuego 12346 feet. Despite occasional epidemics, temblors, droughts and eruptions the new Antigua grew and prospered, envied for its gracious living and talented artisans. Construction of Antigua's streets and avenues began at the Plaza Real, moving out to the four cardinal directions, its symmetrical design resembling a chessboard. Antigua still contains excellent examples of centuries-old colonial architecture.
NEW GUATEMALA
Called Guate, Guatemala and La Capital by locals, Nueva Guatemala de Ascunsion was founded during a Jan 2, 1776 Mass and placed under patronage of the Virgin. After the original Spanish
colonial capitol Santiago, officially named La Antigua Guatemala Antigua, leveled by earthquakes, was abandoned. Colonial administrators laid out the City of New Guatemala de Ascunsion in the fertile Ermita Valley, hoping surrounding ravines would absorb earthquake shocks and protect the city from destruction befalling previous capitals. Adopting traditional colonial town layouts they retained a neoclassic architectural style which broke with tradition. After the 1871 Revolution French architecture dominated, largely erased by earthquakes. Earthquakes damaged the city in 1830 and on Christmas Day 1917 and Jan 24, 1918 destroyed the city. No colonial buildings remain except a few sturdy churches.
Guatemala's cycles of revolution and counterrevolution began centuries before Spaniards arrived. Guatemala's city-states had some of the greatest achievements in mathematics, astronomy and
architecture. Pedro de Alvarado, born in Spain in 1485, the first generation in 600 years not having to fight Muslim invaders, instead brought his men to the New World, reaching Guatemala's
highlands in 1524 and quickly allying with competing Indian tribes, conquering Guatemala and El Salvador in less than 6 years.