Plaza Mayor de la Constitución

- Catedral Metropolitana, Palacio Nacional, Mercado Central, Parque del Centenario, Plaza de las Armas, National Library

Plaza Mayor de la Constitucion is the most important square of Guatemala City, the political heart of Guatemala and the heart of the Historical Downtown. It is very large and consists of two parts; Parque del Centenario, that is more like a park and the main square, Plaza de las Armas; here you find several beautiful historical buildings;

Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral), was built 1782-1871 neo-classic/baroque style. The cathedral, also called Santa Iglesia, has two towers and a white baroque interior, long but quite narrow with beautiful chandeliers. It has withstood numerous earthquakes. The 12 pillars in front of the cathedral were built to commemorate the people who died during the internal armed conflict that lasted 1960 and 1996. At first we didn't manage to get in to the stone cathedral, but it turned out it was siesta. We managed to enter the cathedral after the siesta was over.

Palacio Nacional (the National Palace) is the government building, built in 1943 in baroque/renaissance in style with fascist elements. It is also called Palacio Verde and was formerly also was the presidential residence. The building is the origin of all roads in Guatemala, and has a spot known as Kilometro Cero (Zero Kilometer). It is also museum and is used for important acts of the government. There were several plans for the palace that were abandoned but in 1932, President General Jorge Ubico published the basis for the design that was built, by architect Rafael Pérez de León. Unfortunately it was closed to public the day we visited so we couldn't see the beautiful interior. The guards told us it would be open again the next day, but that was the day when we had to depart.

A huge Guatemalean flag, Portal El Comercio, a historical outdoor shopping arcade and the National Library (Biblioteca Nacional, a grey modernist building built in 1957 with maya inspired interior) can also be found at Plaza de la Constitución as the square often is called. There are also some grey 60s modernist highrises around the square.

A part of the main thouroughfare 6A Avenida, that is a long pedestrian street with important historical sites and brand stores, begins at Plaza Mayor.

Mercado Central is the Central Market, just on the backside of the cathedral, one block from Plaza Mayor. It is mostly situated underground, it is somewhat neglect but charming, nice and colourful. Around the market there are many colouful buildings with small stores.

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