Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala
Encyclopedia
Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala ("St. James of the Knights of Guatemala") was the name given to the Spanish colonial capital of Guatemala
in Central America
. The name was first associated with the Kaqchikel Maya capital Iximche
, adopted as the Spanish capital soon after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala
began, in July 1524. The Kaqchikel capital was called Guatemala by the Spanish, with its origin in the Nahuatl word Quauhtemallan, which means "forested land". The Spanish took the name of the city used by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies and applied it to the new Spanish city and, by extension, to the kingdom
. From this comes the modern name of the country. The day of the city's foundation was 25 July, which is the feast day of St. James, hence the full name of the city.
After the Kaqchikel rebelled against their former allies, the Spanish refounded the capital as Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala in 1527 in the Almolonga Valley, near to the Volcán de Agua
. In 1541 the crater of the volcano collapsed, unleashing a flood upon the new capital, which was once again moved. The valley of Almolonga site is now known as Ciudad Vieja
("Old City").
In 1543, Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala was once again refounded, this time at Panchoy. The new city survived as the capital of colonial Guatemala until 1773, when it was severely damaged by an earthquake. The capital was once again moved, although this time it was given the name Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción
("New Guatemala of the Assumption
"). The former capital has now become known as Antigua Guatemala
("Old Guatemala").
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. The name was first associated with the Kaqchikel Maya capital Iximche
Iximche
Iximche is a Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological site in the western highlands of Guatemala. Iximche was the capital of the Late Postclassic Kaqchikel Maya kingdom from 1470 until its abandonment in 1524. The architecture of the site included a number of pyramid-temples, palaces and two...
, adopted as the Spanish capital soon after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala
Spanish conquest of Guatemala
The Spanish conquest of Guatemala was a conflict that formed a part of the Spanish colonization of the Americas within the territory of what became the modern country of Guatemala in Central America...
began, in July 1524. The Kaqchikel capital was called Guatemala by the Spanish, with its origin in the Nahuatl word Quauhtemallan, which means "forested land". The Spanish took the name of the city used by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies and applied it to the new Spanish city and, by extension, to the kingdom
Captaincy General of Guatemala
The Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...
. From this comes the modern name of the country. The day of the city's foundation was 25 July, which is the feast day of St. James, hence the full name of the city.
After the Kaqchikel rebelled against their former allies, the Spanish refounded the capital as Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala in 1527 in the Almolonga Valley, near to the Volcán de Agua
Volcán de Agua
Volcán de Agua is a stratovolcano located in the department of Sacatepéquez in Guatemala. It has been inactive since the mid 16th century. At 3,760 metres, Agua Volcano towers more than 3,500 metres above the Pacific coastal plain to the south and 2,000 metres above the Guatemalan...
. In 1541 the crater of the volcano collapsed, unleashing a flood upon the new capital, which was once again moved. The valley of Almolonga site is now known as Ciudad Vieja
Ciudad Vieja
Ciudad Vieja is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Sacatepéquez. According to the 2002 Guatemalan Census, the municipality has a total of 25,696 people.Ciudad Vieja was the second colonial capital of the country.- History :...
("Old City").
In 1543, Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala was once again refounded, this time at Panchoy. The new city survived as the capital of colonial Guatemala until 1773, when it was severely damaged by an earthquake. The capital was once again moved, although this time it was given the name Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
("New Guatemala of the Assumption
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
"). The former capital has now become known as Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
("Old Guatemala").