Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting around Antigua is fairly straightforward. True to its colonial foundations, it was
laid out in a grid pattern surrounding the central plaza with
calles
running east-west and
avenidas
running north-south. The plaza is bounded by 4a Calle and 5a Calle to the north
andsouth,and4aAvenidaand5aAvenidatotheeastandwest.Streetaddressesarelabeled
accordingtotheirdirectionrelativetotheplaza:Norte(North),Oriente(East),Sur(South),
and Poniente (West). Most streets are known by this method, though all have names dating
to colonial times. Only a handful of streets are known solely in this manner.
Antigua is fascinating and easily manageable, as most everything you might want to see
and do lies within a radius of a few miles.
PARQUE CENTRAL
Antigua's central plaza is easily the most beautiful in the country and is the hub of activit
y for shoe shiners, strolling lovers, tour groups, ice cream vendors, and foreign visitors.
Gracing the central part of the square is a lovely fountain dating to 1936, a re-creation of
an earlier version from 1738 destroyed by earthquakes. It is bordered by the Catedral de
Santiago,Palacio delosCapitanes Generales, Palacio delAyuntamiento, andacommercial
arcade known as the Portal del Comercio. The
parque
makes a great place for a stroll or
peoplewatchingfromitsparkbenches.Atnight,thesurroundingbuildingsandmonuments
are beautifully illuminated.
Catedral de Santiago
On its eastern side, the plaza is dominated by the beautiful Catedral de Santiago (9 A.M.-5
P.M.).Itiswonderfullylitupatnight.Itshistory,asismuchofAntigua's,isoneofconstant
destruction and reconstruction. The first cathedral built on this site dates to 1545, but its
shoddy construction caused its roof to come crashing down during an earthquake in 1583.
It was decided to build a new cathedral in 1670, a task that would require 11 years and the
conscripted labor of indigenous Mayans. The scale of the new structure was astounding,
with18chapels,ahugedome,fivenaves,andalargecentralchambermeasuring90meters
by 20 meters. It was graced by paintings and artwork of renowned European and colonial
artists; its altar was inlaid with silver,ivory,andmother-ofpearl. Although it withstood the
earthquakes of 1689 and 1717, it finally succumbed to the earthquake of 1773.
The current church is not really a cathedral in the strict sense of the word, as it consists
of two restored chambers known as the Parroquia de San José. You can visit the interest-
