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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Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 22 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 23 - fountain Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 24 - Plaza de las Armas Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 25 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 26 - Parque del Centenario Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 27 - Catedral Metropolitana Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 28 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 61 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral interior Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 04 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 05 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 06 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 07 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 08 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 09 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 10 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 11 Catedral Metropolitana, dome Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 13 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 14 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 15 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor 16 Catedral Metropolitana, cathedral at Plaza Mayor Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, National Palace 01 Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, National Palace 02 Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, National Palace 03 Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, National Palace 04 Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, National Palace 05 Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, National Palace 06 National Palace and Center of Justice Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, National Palace 08 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución - Biblioteca Nacional, National Library Plaza Mayor de la Constitución - Biblioteca Nacional, National Library Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 03 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución - Parque del Centenario Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 05 - Parque del Centenario Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 06 - Parque del Centenario Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 07 - Parque del Centenario Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 09 - Parque del Centenario Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 10 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 11 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 12 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 13 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 14 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 29 Centro Comercial Real de Parque Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 31 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 34 - Portal El Comercio Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 35 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 36 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 37  - Catedral Metropolitana, backside Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 38Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 40 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 41 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 42 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 43 - cathedral Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 44 - cathedral memorial wall Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 46 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 47 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 48 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 50 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 51 Plaza Mayor - Centro Justicia de Familia Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 55 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 56 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 57 Plaza Mayor de la Constitución 58 Mercado Central 01 Mercado Central 02 Mercado Central 03 Mercado Central 04 Mercado Central 05 Mercado Central 06 Mercado Central 07 Mercado Central 08 Mercado Central 09 Mercado Central 10 Mercado Central 11 Mercado Central 12