Ciudad Vieja

Ciudad Vieja
—  Municipality and town  —
Ciudad Vieja
Location in Guatemala
Coordinates:
Country  Guatemala
Department Sacatepéquez
Population (2002)
 • Total 25,696
Time zone Central Time (UTC-6)

Ciudad Vieja is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Sacatepéquez. According to the 2002 Guatemalan Census, the municipality has a total of 25,696 people.

Ciudad Vieja was the second colonial capital of the country.

Contents

History

Main article: Guatemala#Colonial

Jorge de Alvarado founded the second capital here for the Captaincy General of Guatemala in 1527.[1]

San Miguel Escobar

San Miguel Escobar is the modern name for the district that contains the ruins of the second colonial capital of the Guatemala region. The Spaniards founded their capital here in 1527, after their previous capital at Tecpán Guatemala became untenable. The city was destroyed by a catastrophic lahar from Volcan de Agua in 1541, and the survivors had no choice but to abandon the site.[1]

The capital was again refounded several miles away at Antigua Guatemala in 1543.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Santos, Bairon. "Municipio de Ciudad Vieja". La Tierra. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5zOUEa3bJ. Retrieved June 12, 2011. 
Municipalities