//
Photo: Rialfver at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The second church to occupy this site and one of the largest in Central America during its heyday, the Catedral de Antigua Guatemala was built in 1680 to replace its antecessor that dated to 1541. While most of the building was leveled during the earthquake of 1773, the ornate Baroque facade emerged relatively unscathed. While a partial reconstruction beginning in the 19th century has allowed the building to once again be home to a functioning church, other portions of the complex remain in ruins.
Parish of San José, located in the city of Antigua Guatemala, is part of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Guatemala and is located in a section of the old Primate Cathedral of Antigua Guatemala, which was destroyed by the 1773 Guatemala earthquakes. The first construction of the cathedral began in 1545 with the rubble brought from the destroyed settlement in the Almolonga Valley, which had been a second attempt to found a town in the region. Its complete construction was hampered by frequent earthquakes over the years. On April 7, 1669, the temple was demolished and a second sanctuary would be inaugurated in 1680 under the direction of Juan Pascual and José de Porres. There is also evidence that the Spanish engineer and image maker Martín de Andújar Cantos worked on its reconstruction.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Plaza Mayor
This park is a city block in size, with concentric circular walkways threading among trees and a fountain in the middle. The trees are decorated with lights, and there are plenty of benches for sitting and people-watching. The city hall and police office, the cathedral and several banks and tourist businesses line the four sides of the park. Many Antiguans hang out in the park, and it has a pleasant, bustling, friendly feel during the day (at night, slightly less so. Use your judgment).
Real Palacio de los Capitanes Generales
A museum showcasing preHispanic and colonial artifacts in part of this historic government palace.
Learn how to make chocolate from the cocoa beans. A unique experience where you learn everything about the history of chocolate, the cacao plantations, and the industry of chocolate making. At the end of the class you will make your own chocolate bar at your taste and will be able to bring it back home with you.
Small but high-quality museum interpreting history of Guatemalan currency.
One of the largest complexes of colonial ruins in Antigua, the Convento de Santa Clara was built in 1715 as the home of an order of Franciscan nuns founded some years earlier by a group of six sisters from Mexico. Today this ruin is most notable for its facade, which largely survived the earthquake of 1773 that devastated the complex; it's one of the most ornate in all of Antigua, replete with intricate statuary and ornamentation in molded stucco. Interestingly, the facade is located in the rear of the complex: in front is a spacious, well-tended courtyard garden not too different from the one at Colegio de San Jerónimo, ringed by the ruined remains of the former cloisters. Ascend to the upper level for a nice view over the surrounding mountains.