A Brief History of Guatemala City

Guatemala City was first a Maya city known as Kaminal Juyú that was settled in the Middle Preclassic period (1000-500 BC). Between AD 200 and 230, Kaminal Juyú became an ally of the powerful northern city El Mirador. Because of this partnership, it was able to control all trade routes and became a prosperous and powerful city-state. Later, during the Early Classic period (AD 200-500), it also developed ties with the invading Teotihuacán of Mexico. By AD 900, the city was deserted. Its buildings became hidden in the jungle, overlooked by all.

In 1620, the Spanish came into the area to build La Ermita, a small outpost designed to keep trade routes open. It remained a backwater for another 162 years before being chosen as the new capital. Actually, Guatemala City was not the first choice. The first capital was founded in 1520 near the Cakchiquel capital of Iximché. But the Spanish lieutenant in charge, Alvarado, was eventually driven out of the area – he fled to the Almononga Valley to build his second capital at the foot of the Agua Volcano. This was a bad choice. In 1531 the town was buried in a mudslide during a volcanic eruption. The capital was moved farther east into the Panchoy Valley, between the three volcanoes – Agua, Fuego and de Acatenango. It became the city of Antigua. This third site was not a wise choice either. Antigua was continually being hit with earthquakes. The worst one, in 1773, left Antigua completely destroyed. The Governor had had enough and petitioned the King of Spain to move the capital. After some initial research, he settled on La Ermita. Permission was granted and, on January 1, 1776, La Nueva Guatemala de la Asuncíon became the new capital. There were high hopes for the city, which was designed to resemble a Spanish colonial city with a majestic Great Plaza, wide streets and neoclassic architecture. Estates close to the city center were given to wealthy citizens to replace the properties they left behind in Antigua. But money ran out, and many of the grand buildings were never completed.

To this day, Guatemala City is not as elegant as Antigua. By 1800 the population was up to 26,000 residents, but little work was done until the Conservative Government of 1855 began completing buildings and naming streets. The University of San Carlos de Guatemala, started in 1786, was finally completed between 1849 and 1855. Avariety of churches were erected and the National Theater (Teatro Nacional) was built in 1958.

The Liberal government of 1873 opened the city and country to Europeans, who arrived in the city and began opening businesses. In order to develop properties for them, President Justo Rufino Barrios seized land from the church which, at that time, still owned 60% of the land. To organize the city he adopted the Byzantine street numbering system that’s still in use today (see below, under Adventures on Foot). In 1890, the suburb of Exposicion was built in honor of theWorld Exhibition. The area became Zona 4.

The new liberal president José María Reyna Barrios, elected in 1892, decided to give the city a facelift. Using Paris as his role model, he ordered the creation of the wide Boulevard 30 de Junio, known today as Avenida La Reforma. A replica of the Eiffel Tower, botanical gardens and a temple to Minerva were also built at this time. Avenida 6 became Avenida Minerva and wealthy families fleeing Cobán after a 1902 earthquake settled into this area, known today as Zonas 9 and 10.

With a beautiful new look and established culture, Guatemala was set for a bright future. Then, in late 1917 a series of earthquakes hit the city. The tremors continued until early 1918 and, when the dust settled, the city was in ruins. President Ubico immediately started a reconstruction campaign. During this time the post office, the National Police Building, and the National Palace were built. But once again money ran out and when rural Guatemalans from all over the country began coming to the city looking for work, there was no place for them to live. They began building shanty towns in the nearby hills. The flow of people to the city increased during the turbulent years of 1954 to 1998, when the civil war displaced thousands of civilians. Again they landed in the surrounding hills. The problems were compounded by the 1976 earthquake, which reduced the city to rubble, killed 23,000 and injured another 75,000. Over one million were left homeless and rebuilt their house with any material available.

Guatemala City remains the commercial and administrative center of the country. Pollution, overcrowding and garbage continue to be its biggest environmental concerns. The more pressing issue, though, is poverty. There are over two million residents living in desperate poverty alongside the two percent of the population who are wealthy. The 21st century is going to be challenging.