GUATEMALA CITY - Guatemala - page 53

ZONA 4
A revitalization program has given Zona 4 a distinct character in recent years with the es-
tablishment of a pedestrian thoroughfare known as 4 Grados Norte, lined with hip side-
walkcafésandrestaurantsduringtheday,doublingasbarsatnight.Thiswarehousedistrict
promises to grow in the next few years, as more and more places are being refurbished.
The thoroughfare even has its own cultural center. The Centro Cultural de España (Vía
5 1-23 Zona 4, 4 Grados Norte, tel. [phone], www.centroculturalespana.com.gt , 9:30
A.M.-1 P.M. and 2-7 P.M. Tues.-Thurs., 10 A.M.-7 P.M. Sat.) shows movies on Tuesday
and Friday nights, hosts workshops and art exhibits, and has a small library. Zona 4's other
mainattraction isadilapidated busterminal forsecond-class buses,thoughthiswasexpec-
ted to fall into disuse with the municipal government's plans to move all bus traffic out of
the city.
Centro Cívico
As you head south from the downtown sectors of Zonas 1 and 2, you'll come to a trans-
itional area between the old city core and some of the newer parts of town. Some guide-
books refer to the latter as the “new city,” which to the best of my knowledge has never
been used by locals to describe their city layout. As the city spread south from the cent-
ral area, urban planners and architects decided to build around a concept of a civic cen-
ter to house some of the more important government buildings. Thus was born the Centro
Cívico.TodayithousesGuatemala's Corte Suprema de Justicia (SupremeCourt), Banco
de Guatemala (Bank of Guatemala), Municipalidad de Guatemala (City Hall), and the
administrative offices of the Guatemala Tourist Commission (7a Avenida 1-17 Zona 4, 8
A.M.-4 P.M. Mon.-Fri.). There's the occasional exhibit in the lobby and you can get some
tourist information, including maps, but you're probably better off picking these up at the
information kiosks at the international airport.
Centro Cultural Miguel Ángel Asturias
Inauguratedin1968andnamedafterGuatemala'sNobelPrize-winningauthor,thecapital's
national theater is built on a hill once harboring the fort of San José de Buena Vista, des-
troyed by artillery fire during the October Revolution of 1944. It consists of a Gran Sala
(GreatTheater)withaseatingcapacityof2,041,anoutdooramphitheaterseating2,500,the
320-seat Teatro de Cámara (Chamber Theater), and several smaller venues. It has some
interesting architecture designed by architect Efrín Recinos, and its hilltop location over-
lookingtherestoftheciviccentergivesitanairofgrandeur.Thecenterstillhostsfrequent
events, including ballet and theater productions. Check local listings for more information
(or see the Entertainment section).
Iglesia Yurrita