Description of the attraction
Guatemala City Cathedral 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 in its size and monumentality, the altars are luxuriously decorated. At the front of the temple is a series of 12 columns commemorating thousands of people who were kidnapped or killed during the internal armed conflict in Guatemala from 1960 to 1996.
The history of the temple dates back to the 1773 earthquake 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 surviving interior decoration and religious things 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 the 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, the opening was celebrated with a prayer service. In 1821-1867, two eastern bell towers were erected, in 1826, southern and western doors were installed, as well as windows in 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 the provision of assistance to residents. Guatemala's cathedral was damaged, but was reconstructed by benefactors.
On February 4, 1976, an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 occurred 160 km northeast 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 Lagegud García ensured the organization of an effective program for the rebuilding of the city, as part of this plan the cathedral was completely renovated within five years.
