Description of the attraction
The Cathedral of Antigua Guatemala, consecrated in honor of Saint Joseph, is the main Catholic church in this city. The original church was built around 1541 but suffered several earthquakes throughout its history.
The first church building was demolished in 1669, the cathedral was rebuilt and consecrated in 1680. In 1743, the temple was one of the largest in Central America. The most devastating earthquake in 1773 severely damaged most of the building, although the two towers on the pediment have remained virtually intact. The cathedral was partially restored, after the restoration of the surviving towers. After this natural disaster, the capital was moved to another place, and a new main temple was built there, where utensils and religious objects were transferred. All internal decorations that were not destroyed by the earthquake remained in the temple. In 1783, they were taken from the weakened ruins to the University of St. Charles Borromeo and to the warehouse of the parish of El Sagrario. In 1816, the gold trimmings were removed from the old altars and used in the decoration of the Guatemala City cathedral.
Today, part of the building has been rebuilt and used as the Church of St. Joseph, but the original building remains mostly in ruins, which are open to the public.
