Antigua

The old capital of the country - Antigua (Antiguas-Guatemala), lays in the wide mountain valley Панчой clamped between cones of volcanoes Агуа, Акатенанго and Фуэго, in 45 km to the west Guatemala-city. Based in 1524 a little to the west of the modern site, the city for any century became one of the largest cities of the Spanish empire, compared to Lima and Mexico City, and serving administrative centre of all Central America. In 1541 powerful landslips and the languages of a lava caused by eruption of volcano Агуа, have forced to transfer a city on its modern place, and "old Antigua" has received name Sjudad-Veha. The city has reached the blossoming to the middle of XVIII century when the unprecedented building boom has tripled its area, and the population has grown to fifty thousand persons. In 1773 of Antigua Santa Marta in which course all buildings have been destroyed practically, monasteries and architectural constructions has been destroyed by the strongest earthquake, many of which are restored now and are museums. As a result of Antigua has turned to the main tourist centre of the country numbering set of churches and palaces, however the capital has been transferred in Guatemala-city. In 1979 of Antigua has been included in the list of the World heritage of UNESCO.

Sights of a city concern the central area Park-sentral with a cathedral the Katedral-de-dignity-hose on an East side (the first cathedral has been constructed on this place in 1545 г, the second - in 1670 г, today from it two chapels have remained only), the Palace of General Captains (1558), Аюнтамьенто (Municipality, 1740), ruins La-Kapuchinas - the biggest and most impressive of female monasteries of a city, arch Santa-Katalina (everything, that was from the female monastery based here in 1609), church La-Mersed with a fine carved facade, and ruins of Catholic school the Dignity-dzheronimo (1739), among gardens and falling which walls concerts of classical music are constantly held. Also are worthy impressive church the Dignity-fransisko (1579 г, one of the oldest churches of Antigua), perfectly well restored colonial private residence Kasa-Popeno, Museo-de-Santjago in a building of the old city prison, containing extensive meeting of subjects of the colonial period, Museo-del-Libro-Antigua (in a private residence building in which the museum is now located, printed the first books of Central America), the Museum of colonial art in a building of old university (meeting of religious art), green Park-union with the open market of textile products, and also two churches on its edges - a roman catholic church the Dignity-pedro (1680) and east Santa Clara (XVII in, the former female monastery). In Kasa-K'Ohom the fine museum of music and ceremonies майя is located.

The mountain district laying round Antigua is, probably, most charming and beautiful part of the country. A chain of majestic volcanoes in the south and high mountain chains which dominate over its northern borders, frame edge of flat mountains, lakes, the mountain rivers and picturesque deep valleys. From thirteen volcanic cones which a wall are above the western suburb of the area, three volcanoes are still active - Пасайя, Фуэго and Сантьягито. Even despite so obvious threat of elements, the countryside is around beautiful and quiet, valleys irrigated with the cleanest rivers with terraces on slopes are occupied by the friendly and proud people, almost absolutely belonging to descendants майя (than they very much are proud, by the way). Here it is necessary to visit the coffee Center in Алотенанго, magnificent кальдерное lake near Панахачель, traditional American Indian villages Santa-Marija-de-Hesus and Santiago-Atitlan, market small town Solola and other settlements around unusually picturesque lake Atitlan, or to rise on a foot track on slopes of terrible local volcanoes.