Antigua Guatemala

• Location: Guatemala
• Variant names: Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, Ciudad Vieja, Santiago

Founded in 1527 as 'St James of the Knights of Guatemala' to be the capital of the Spanish colonial government, it was quickly destroyed by a volcanic eruption. It was rebuilt as Ciudad Vieja, 'Old City', although it was no bigger than a village, and in 1542 another capital city was built nearby and called simply Santiago 'St James'. When this was flattened by an earthquake in 1773 yet another capital city, New Guatemala, was built 15 miles (24 km) away (which subsequently became the present Guatemala City) and Santiago came to be called Antigua Guatemala, 'Old, or Ancient, Guatemala'.

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