Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana) description and photos - Guatemala: Guatemala (Topic)

Catedral Metropolitana description and photos - Guatemala: Guatemala. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Catedral Metropolitana.

Photo and description

Cathedral of Guatemala City is the main temple of the city and the Archdiocese of Guatemala. The massive building in Central Park is decorated with baroque and classical elements and has withstood numerous earthquakes. The interior of the cathedral is laconic, impressive with its size and monumentality, the altars are luxuriously decorated. In front of the temple is a series of 12 columns, which is a memorial with the names of thousands of people who were kidnapped or killed during the internal armed conflict in Guatemala, which lasted from 1960 to 1996.

The history of the temple dates back to the earthquake of 1773 that destroyed Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala. The Spanish and clerical authorities were deciding whether to move the city to a new location. As a result of the disputes, the cathedral moved to the new capital on November 22, 1779, but all the intact interior decoration and cult items remained in the old building.

Initially, the main temple of the city was a small chapel, which quickly fell into disrepair. In 1779, the project of the archbishop's palace and drawings of the new cathedral were presented, which were approved by royal decree. The first stone of the temple was laid in 1782, work began on August 13, 1783 and lasted until 1815. Most of the main part of the church was completed, a new organ was installed, and the opening was celebrated with a prayer service. In 1821-1867 two eastern bell towers were erected, in 1826 the southern and western doors were installed, as well as windows in the underground crypts. A new altar made of Carrara marble to replace the old wooden one was brought in and installed in 1860.

In late 1917 and early 1918, a series of tremors destroyed several cities and destroyed numerous public buildings and private homes in Guatemala. The government of the country was unable to organize assistance to residents. The Cathedral of Guatemala was damaged, but was reconstructed by philanthropists.

On February 4, 1976, an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude occurred 160 km north-east of Guatemala. Most of the city was destroyed, thousands of houses and buildings collapsed, including the cathedral, tens of thousands of people were killed and injured. President Kjell Eugenio Lagegood Garcia ensured the organization of an effective rebuilding program for the city, as part of this plan, the cathedral was completely renovated within five years.

We also recommend reading Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral description and photos - Kyrgyzstan: Karakol

Topic: Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana) description and photos - Guatemala: Guatemala.