The Rise & Fall of Antigua Guatemala

For most foreign visitors, the first order of business upon arriving at La Aurora Internationa Airport in Guatemala City is to figure out how to get to Antigua Guatemala. Commonly known as Antigua or La Antigua, this city of less than fifty thousand was the former capital of Guatemala during colonial times. At the time, the Spanish kingdom of Guatemala encompasses vast territory covering the current state of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the State of Chiapas in Mexico. This was Central America's political and religious center for over two centuries.

Volcán de Agua looms over Antigua like a beautiful menace.

Although Guatemala City is Guatemala's political and economic capital (and the largest city in Central America), few travelers visit because of security concerns and the lack of tourism infrastructure. Antigua happily takes up the mantel as the center of tourism. Aside from its rich colonial architecture, the city retains its strong indigenous roots. Guatemala City may be the capital, but Antigua is the custodian of the nation's soul. I was immediately intrigued when I saw the pictures of Antigua. At the same time, I couldn’t help wondering whether this is just a sanitized version of Guatemala.

To understand Antigua, it is helpful to learn a bit about the history of its founding. Antigua was the third capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala. The two preceding capitals were frequently raided by the indigenous population and eventually decimated by frequent earthquakes and floods. The current city of Antigua was founded in 1543 and officially named Santiago de los Caballeros, after the patron saint, Saint James. The city is situated on a valley floor surrounded by three volcanos. The fertile land and plentiful space made this the most cosmopolitan city in Central America.

Like most colonial cities, Antigua is laid out in a grid. While many attribute the grid plan of Spanish American cities to colonial rules, the layout also traces roots to Aztec and Mayan cities. At the heart of the city is a central plaza surrounded by the cathedral, town hall, and residence of the high officials. Naturally, the bustling Parque Central was the best starting point to explore Antigua. The mature jacaranda trees provide massive canopies over the square, making this city’s de facto public living room, which seems busy at all hours. This place has the best convivial ambiance compared to the central square in San Miguel Allende or Queretaro.

The square's focal point is the Mermaid Fountain (Fuente de las Sirenas). Even though Antigua is hundreds of miles from the closest shore, mermaids have become popular icons here. Mermaids have been a popular motif for millennia, and most historians believe they arrived in North America from Seville, the main international port to the New World. In particular, architect Diego de Porres is credited for bringing the mermaid to many buildings in Antigua, including the Mermaid Fountain. For whatever reason, the mermaid's presence here became a popular tale among tour guides. They are all eager to point out the mermaid on buildings.

The Captain General Palace now houses the National Museum of Guatemalan Art.

Located on the southern edge of the square is the Captain General Palace. This impressive two-story palace was home to the captain general, the de facto governor of Guatemala. It was considered the administrative and military headquarters for the country. It is one of the major anchors of the square. Today, the structure is home to several agencies, including the National Museum of Guatemalan Art. This museum hosts Guatemalan art from different eras. As much as I enjoyed the Mayan artifacts, we particularly enjoyed their small but wonderful contemporary art collections.

Some of the most important artifacts in national history. On display in one of the rooms upstairs are the original copy of the Guatemalan Declaration of Independence, the original draft of the Constitution, and the first published sheets for the National Anthem. Given the historical significance of these artifacts, we were shocked there were barely any other visitors during our 90-minute visit. It was puzzling why a free museum on the main square somehow flew under the radar. I have not seen any travel bloggers mention it.

Religious institutions were integral to the history of Antigua.

From the second-floor balcony of the Captain General Palace, we had a splendid view of the Cathedral of Santiago Parish of San José. The construction began in 1545 and was the largest church in Central America for a few centuries. While the church’s Baroque facade we see today may be impressive, it was only a fraction of its former self. No visit to Antigua would not be complete without learning about the devasting earthquakes that frequently hit the area. There were six major earthquakes in the sixteenth century alone. That should come as no surprise, given the volcanic peaks nearby. The history of Antigua is, in fact, synonymous with earthquakes.

Stepping inside the cathedral, visitors could immediately tell something was off. For starters, the nave runs perpendicular to the main entry. The interior is relatively simple in terms of decorations. Even though there is a gilded altar, most interiors are whitewashed. But if you look closer, you can see a peeling stucco finish and uncomfortable-looking cracks over the dome overhead. This is hardly the cathedral fit for a royal capital. To better appreciate the cathedral’s history, let’s head to the street just south of the cathedral.

A handsome portal led us to the ruins of the old cathedral. Visitors quickly realized that the church interior we saw earlier was merely the first two bays of the original cathedral. The original structure is massive. It comprises a central nave and two side aisles on both sides. It was quite unusual to see a church with five aisles. I could hardly think of another church like that. More curiously, each bay is topped with a circular dome.

It took me a while to realize the cathedral's plan is reminiscent of a mosque's prayer hall. I then remembered that this plan was based on the design of the Cathedral of Seville, which was, in turn, influenced by the Moorish architecture. As mentioned earlier, Seville was the main port to the America. So, it makes sense that we would see North African influences in Guatemala. A dozen or so handy plaques inside the ruin give visitors an excellent overview of the place’s former splendor. Two prior basilica buildings once stood on this site, each built after a devastating earthquake.

The current ruin was the result of the earthquake in 1773. A series of quakes are collectively known as the Santa Marta earthquake, as the tremor started on the feast day of Saint Martha. Even before this series of earthquakes, the city struggled with the constant upkeep from the damages of prior tremors. But the city managed to rebuild each time, albeit at great expense. After two decades of construction after the 1751 earthquakes, the contemporary chroniclers described the city as almost new. With twenty-six Catholic churches and fifteen hermitages and oratories, Antigua was only second to Mexico City in wealth and splendor. The cathedral, in particular, was noted for its sumptuous decorations and size.

While the vast majority of interior decorations have been lost to the earthquake and subsequent looting, there are still plenty of points of interest to point out. The most fascinating element is a memorial stone at the altar dedicated to Pedro de Alvarado, a charismatic Spanish conquistador, and his wife. A contemporary of Hernán Cortés, Alvarado was particularly brutal in his military ventures, including the infamous massacre at Tenochtitlan’s Templo Mayor. Because of his effectiveness as a military commander, he was named the Governor of Guatemala. As famous as he was, I am more fascinated by his wife, Beatriz de la Cueva. A noblewoman by birth, she was a very skillful politician. Amazingly, she succeeded his husband as the governor shortly after his death on the battlefield, thus making her the first female ruler of the “New World.”

Just two days after her reign as the governor, the volcanic activities prompted the overflowing of a crater lake. The torrential flood swept through Beatriz’s palace, forcing her to evacuate to the rooftop chapel while several of her children drowned. Taking advantage of the chaos, her detractor stormed the palace in a coup attempt. Both sides ended up drawing in the flood. While she survived the coup attempt, Beatriz was killed later that day when the roof of the chapel collapsed on her. Her groundbreaking tenure was short and a source of historical fascination. Her political enemy was quick to attribute the natural disaster to god’s punishment for her political ambitions.

The former home of the Pontifical University of San Carlos.

The Santa Marta earthquake dealt a fatal blow to the city. Not only was the city substantially destroyed, but an epidemic outbreak caused even more deaths than the physical harm from the earthquakes. After surveying the damages, the religious and secular leadership wrote to King Charles III in 1775 to request the establishment of a new capital away from volcanic activities. The new capital was named New Guatemala of Assumption and the Ancient (Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción y la Antigua), now known as Guatemala City.

The ruined Church of Our Lady of El Carmen.

The royal decree directed the construction of a new capital and the complete abandonment of Antigua. At the time, the population of Antigua was 65,000, which was twice as many as the city’s population today. It is not difficult to imagine the shock when the locals learned that this magnificent city was to be abandoned. By then, all but one church in the city was severely damaged. Soon after the order to abandon was announced, valuable items such as sculptures and precious stones were removed for construction in the new capital.

As expected, the population plummeted when the government and the clergy moved out. Most of the city was left to decay. Since most grand monuments here were built without seismic considerations, there was little effort to retrofit them. Luckily, many of them were never torn down. It was pretty surreal to walk past so many ruined churches and monasteries. Some were in ruin, and others were partially renovated. They inadvertently became the star attractions of Antigua. Although few of these churches still hold religious services, they testify to Antigua’s status as a spiritual and religious administration center.

Because Antigua was the capital of a newly founded kingdom, it attracted numerous religious orders of the Catholic faith. Each order was given a sector of the city and ran individual parish like a mini-chiefdom. In Antigua’s heydays, the clergy holds as much power as the secular authorities. Franciscans were the first to arrive in 1541 and were assigned 120 villages by the government. The massive Church of San Francisco and the walled monastery complex were the most interesting in town. According to the local guide, the front facade resembled an exterior altar, allowing outdoor mass on major feast days.

The monastery was also a major learning center, attracting Guatemala’s brightest philosophers, mathematicians, and theologians. Like other churches, the church was severely damaged by a long list of earthquakes. Only a small church section was repaired after the Santa Marta earthquakes. The rest of the complex was left abandoned for over two centuries. It was not until 1960 that the ownership was returned to the Franciscans, who began the long-awaited restorations. Today, much of the church remained in ruin, including the right half of the handsome facade.

Among all the churches in town, the Church of San Francisco is probably the most visited, as it is the burial place of Peter of Saint Joseph de Betancourt. He was an evangelist of the West Indies and noted for his charitable works for the vulnerable. Often referred to as the “Saint Francis of the Americas, Betancourt became the first missionary saint in Central America. His humbleness and vow of poverty extended not just to the poor but also to the prisoners. He went on to found his own religious order: the Bethlehemite Brothers. During our visit, we saw a steady stream of pilgrims, with his many devotees praying in front of the tomb. There are also numerous ex-votos installed all over the walls.

The *ex-votos* for Peter of Saint Joseph de Betancourt.

With so many ruined churches and monasteries, picking which particular one to visit could be difficult. The most interesting among them would probably be the former Convent of Santo Domingo. This former Dominican convent was once the biggest and wealthiest in the city but completely destroyed by the earthquakes. It sat abandoned for a few centuries before being acquired by an American archaeologist in 1979, who carried out extensive excavations. Fast forward two decades, the former convent was sold and developed into a five-star hotel, Casa Santo Domingo.

This is the most luxurious lodging in the city today. As we entered the premises, Brian immediately turned to me and asked why we weren’t staying there. Even though this may be the most expensive place in town, it is still relatively affordable by American standards. It did not take long to understand why this hotel is one of the most prestigious venues for weddings and private events. As it happened, the staff was setting up the central court for a massive wedding. I later read that the hotel was the venue of the 43rd General Assembly of the Organization of American States, hosting numerous heads of state.

However, what made this hotel unique was the fact that they integrated six smaller museums on the hotel grounds. They include everything from museums for colonial arts to silver and archaeological artifacts. They also hold a small but respectable contemporary art collection. The mingling of a working hotel and the archaeological works is fascinating. Because these museums are all covered under the same admission ticket, spending an afternoon at the hotel, with a cocktail or two in between, might be a wonderful way to learn more about the history of Antigua.

Speaking of Antigua’s cultural heritage, it would be remiss not to visit the Santa Catalina Arch. It is the preeminent landmark of Antigua and the most photographed spot. The contrast between the round arch and the conical-shaped Volcán de Agua is stunning. The arch was constructed in 1693 to connect the former Convent of Santa Catalina and the school across the street. Because it was a cloistered convent, the covered bridge provided seclusion from the outside world. The little clocktower on top was added in 1895. Its distinctive silhouette is easily recognizable, so much so it served as a template for an archway at the National Post Office in Guatemala City.

The Church of Mercy was the only church that did not sustain substantial damage from the Santa Marta earthquakes.

After a few days in Antigua, I couldn’t help thinking about how Antigua’s ill fortune with Antigua was a curse or a blessing. The order to abandon may have devastated the city, but it inadvertently provided Antigua with a unique heritage. Compared to the urban sprawl of modern Guatemala City, Antigua retained its historical ambiance and became one of the most coveted places to live in Central America. The rise and fall of Antigua could serve as a life lesson for all of us. Never be let by our misfortune and let’s embrace a brighter future!

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