Zunil

Zunil

Panorama, 2009
Zunil

Location in Guatemala

Coordinates: 14°47′N 91°29′W / 14.783°N 91.483°W
Country Guatemala
Department Quetzaltenango
Government
  Mayor Jose Maria Chaj (2012-2016)
Area
  Total 92 km2 (36 sq mi)
Population (2011 Estimate)
  Total 12,356
  Density 134.30/km2 (347.8/sq mi)
Climate Cwb

Zunil (Spanish pronunciation: [suˈnil]) is a municipality in the Quetzaltenango department of Guatemala with a surface area of 92 square kilometres (36 sq mi).[1] Zunil is located 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the city of Quetzaltenango, on the bank of the Salamá River.[2] Zunil has an altitude of approximately 2,075 metres (6,808 ft) above mean sea level.[2] The population is about 14,000 people, 100% indigenous. The inhabitants speak K'iche' and Spanish.[1]

Zunil possesses active worship of San Simón (also known as Maximón), a life-sized mannequin representing a Maya god, sitting in a wooden throne, which is moved to a different house every year, and many people visit and leave gifts at his shrine.

There are thermal baths with volcanic water around the town, for example Fuentes Georginas and Almolonga.

A crater on Mars, which may be the source of Mars meteorites, is named after the village.[3]

Gallery

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Zunil at Inforpressca
  2. 2.0 2.1 Cattelan 2004, p.36.
  3. McEwan, A.S. et al. (2005). "The rayed crater Zunil and interpretations of small impact craters on Mars". Icarus 176 (2): 351–381. Bibcode:2005Icar..176..351M. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2005.02.009. Retrieved 2006-09-08. .

References

External links

Coordinates: 14°47′N 91°29′W / 14.783°N 91.483°W

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