The Ancient Capital of Antigua

The Ancient Capital of Antigua, often known as Antigua or la Antigua, is a city in Guatemala's central highlands notable for its surviving Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture and a number of colonial church ruins. It served as the capital of the Guatemalan Kingdom.

Antigua, which was founded in 1543, is a jewel among Guatemalan cities. It was still known as 'Santiago de los Caballeros' at the time. Walking through the city center, you can still sense the city's Spanish past at the foot of the Volcan de Agua. The Catedral de Santiago, Palacio del Ayuntamiento, IglesiaPalacio de Los Capitanes Generales, and the Convent of the Merced, Parque Central, and the Hospital of San Pedro, for example, are all distinctive and colonial structures in Antigua. Since 1979, the old capital of Antigua has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it enjoys a steady stream of visitors.

Antigua Guatemala is the administrative center of the same-named municipality that surrounds it. It is also the Sacatepéquez Department's administrative capital.

Location: Sacatepéquez Province, Guatemala