Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, Antigua Guatemala

Last updated
Captain General Palace
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales
Casas Reales [1]
Palacio Real [2]
Palac kapitanu.jpg
Palace in Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala location map.JPG
Red pog.svg
Location in Antigua Guatemala
General information
Location Antigua Guatemala, Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala
Coordinates 14°33′21″N90°44′02″W / 14.55583°N 90.73389°W / 14.55583; -90.73389
Construction started 1755
Completed 1764
Renovated1890
Demolished 1773

The Captain General Palace, or Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, is a large building localed in the Central Square of Antigua Guatemala. It serves as the headquarters of the Guatemala Institute of Tourism, the Antigua Tourism Association, National Police and the Sacatepquez Department government. [3] [4] It also houses the National Museum of Guatemalan Art. [5] [6]

Contents

History

In the southeast corner of the Central Plaza, is located the first two-story building constructed in 1558. Made with a wooden floor and arches that support the whole structure. The General Captaincy of Guatemala was governed from this building, and inside it all the government, administrative and military offices worked there. The General Captain's, life was full of luxuries for himself, his family and friends. [3] Construction of the Captain General residence and the Real Audiencia member began in 1558. The building also lodged the Royal Tax office, jail, Army headquarters, horse facilities and warehouses. [1]

By 1678, the Captain General Palace was already a two-story building, with a wooden main entrance and columns. [1]

San Miguel earthquakes

The San Miguel earthquake severely impacted the city of Santiago de los Caballeros; the Royal Palace suffered some damage in rooms and walls. This earthquake made the authorities think about moving the city to a new location less vulnerable to earthquakes, but the city inhabitants strongly opposed this measure and they even went as far as to invade the Palace to make their point. The city did not move, but a considerable number of troops were needed to restore calm. [1] Diego de Porres, city master building fixed the Palace damage and finished by 1720; although he made some more improvements that lasted until 1736. [1]

San Casimiro earthquake

The San Casimiro earthquakes that stroke the city of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala in 1751 damaged the palace again. Its façade and levels were destroyed, but the remaining basis permitted its rebuilt, in 1755, finishing it in 1764. But the nature stroke again, when an earthquake in 1773 shook the city. An intended for transferring the building's columns was made when the city moved into the Ermita Valley, but it wasn't possible because they were too heavy. [3]

Santa Marta earthquake

North view of the Captain Generals Palace and the makeshift warehouses where its stone pillars were stored after the Santa Marta earthquake. Image from the 1840s. Palacio1840.jpg
North view of the Captain Generals Palace and the makeshift warehouses where its stone pillars were stored after the Santa Marta earthquake. Image from the 1840s.
Parque central con la Parroquia de San Jose y cobertizos improvisados para las columnas derrumbadas del Palacio de los Capitanes Generales; 1840. Plate 33- ANTIGUA GUATIMALA.jpg
Parque central con la Parroquia de San José y cobertizos improvisados para las columnas derrumbadas del Palacio de los Capitanes Generales; 1840.
Cathedral and what is left of the Palace in an image from 1884. AGTM D370 The Plaza, Old Guatemala.png
Cathedral and what is left of the Palace in an image from 1884.

On July 29, 1773, day of Saint Martha of Bethania, a very powerful earthquake hit the city of Santiago de los Caballeros at around 3:00 p.m. [8] One hour later, an even more devastating tremor that lasted for about a minute hit the city again, [9] in the middle of a strong thunderstorm, destroying churches, government office buildings and private homes. It also broke water and food supply chains, as the natives that provided the city fled to the mountains.

On August 2 and 4, captain general Martín de Mayorga presided over the "General Meetings" with the local authorities, including archbishop Pedro Cortés y Larraz, criollo City Hall members, and regular clergy representatives. They concluded to inform king Carlos III and the Indian Council about the destruction and the eventual move of the city to neighbor "La Ermita" valley, which was not as close to the volcanoes, which were considered the culprit for the destruction of the city at the time. [8]

On December 13, 1773, two strong earthquakes hit the area again, [10] resting the case of the group that wanted to move to a different location. Once 1774 the Indian Council pronounced its verdict on the city status and approved the move to "La Ermita" valley. Matías de Gálvez, between 1779 and 1783, was in charge of coordinating the move. [8]

Possibly the damage caused by the earthquake itself was serious, but not as destructive as the one caused by the city abandonment. On January 16, 1775, master builder Bernardo Ramirez start pulling out all reusable construction material from the destroyed buildings to move it to the new capital city, because of a legal order to do so. After this, the Palace was left without doors, windows, balconies, ornaments, and so on. [11]

After the capital moved to La Ermita

Royal Palace in 1875. AntiguaPalace1875.jpg
Royal Palace in 1875.
Palace after its facade was rebuilt. Image from 1896. Palacio de la Capitania General de Guatemala.JPG
Palace after its façade was rebuilt. Image from 1896.
Palace and Central Square in 1920. Parquecentralantigua1920.jpg
Palace and Central Square in 1920.

The city remained relatively abandoned during the 19th century, and as such, the Guatemala archbishop sold what was left of monasteries and churches to regular citizens. Some families went back to Antigua to settle there once again, so eventually there had to be some sort of authority that was established in the city and used some of the old buildings to work. Towards the end of the 19th century the old Palace façade was rebuilt, using the stone columns that had been for almost a hundred year in makeshift warehouses in front of the Palace, on the south section of Central Square. [1] After this work, the less damaged sections were reopened: the jail and the government offices. [12]

On February 4, 1976, Guatemala was struck again by a powerful earthquake of 7.5 in the Richter scale, which destroyed most of country infrastructure and severely damaged the Palace. Its eastern façade had to be demolished. The Palace, along with the rest of Antigua Guatemala was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1979.

Notes and references

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guatemala City</span> Capital and the largest city of Guatemala

Guatemala City, known nationally also as Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala. It is also a municipality capital of the Guatemala Department and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, nestled in a mountain valley called Valle de la Ermita.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antigua Guatemala</span> City in Sacatepéquez, Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala, commonly known as Antigua or La Antigua, is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala. The city was the capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala from 1543 through 1773, with much of its Baroque-influenced architecture and layout dating from that period. These characteristics had it designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Antigua Guatemala serves as the capital of the homonymous municipality and the Sacatepéquez Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volcán de Fuego</span> Volcano in Guatemala

Volcán de Fuego or Chi Q'aq' is an active stratovolcano in Guatemala, on the borders of Chimaltenango, Escuintla and Sacatepéquez departments.

San Martín Jilotepeque is a town, with a population of 10,812, and a municipality in the Chimaltenango department of Guatemala. It was the site of a bus accident in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ventura Rodríguez</span> Spanish architect and artist

Ventura Rodríguez Tizón was a Spanish architect and artist. Born at Ciempozuelos, Rodríguez was the son of a bricklayer. In 1727, he collaborated with his father in the work at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Palace (Guatemala)</span> Government building in Guatemala

The Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, also known colloquially as "Palacio Verde", is identified as Guatemala City's symbol in its architectural context. It was the most important building in Guatemala and was the headquarters of the president of Guatemala. The building is the origin of all the roads in the Republic and has a spot known as Kilometro Cero. It is presently a museum and is also used for important acts of the government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palacio de los Capitanes Generales</span>

The Palacio de los Capitanes Generales is the former official residence of the Spanish Empire's governors of Havana, Cuba, and in the Post-Colonial Period was for many time the City Hall. Located on the eastern side of the Plaza de Armas in Old Havana it is home to the Museum of the City of Havana. It houses exhibitions of art and historical artefacts and many of the rooms are preserved with their original Colonial decoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monasterio de Santo Domingo, Antigua Guatemala</span> Former monastery in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

Santo Domingo Church and Monastery is a ruined monastery in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala. Its history can be traced back to 1538 when the Dominicans arrived in Guatemala. It had two towers with ten bells and the monastery was filled with treasures. The monastery was destroyed in the 1773 Santa Marta earthquake. Today, part of the ruins have been transformed into a hotel, the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antigua Guatemala Cathedral</span>

Parish of San José, located in the city of Antigua Guatemala, is part of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Guatemala and is located in a section of the old Primate Cathedral of Antigua Guatemala, which was destroyed by the 1773 Guatemala earthquakes. The first construction of the cathedral began in 1545 with the rubble brought from the destroyed settlement in the Almolonga Valley, which had been a second attempt to found a town in the region. Its complete construction was hampered by frequent earthquakes over the years. On April 7, 1669, the temple was demolished and a second sanctuary would be inaugurated in 1680 under the direction of Juan Pascual and José de Porres, there is also evidence that the Spanish engineer and image maker Martín de Andújar Cantos worked on its reconstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iglesia de La Merced, Antigua Guatemala</span> Building in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

The Church and Convent of La Merced is a Catholic church located in the city of Antigua Guatemala in Guatemala. The architect Juan de Dios Estrada was in charge of its construction from 1749. The church was inaugurated in 1767.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas, Antigua Guatemala</span> Building in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

The Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas is a notable convent and church in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala. It is one of the finest examples of an 18th-century convent in Guatemala. It was consecrated in 1736 but like the rest of the city suffered damage during the 1751 and 1773 earthquakes respectively, and was abandoned by order of the Captain General at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1773 Guatemala earthquake</span>

The 1773 Guatemala earthquake struck colonial Guatemala on July 29 at 15:45 local time. It had an estimated epicentral magnitude of 7.5 Mi. It was part of a sequence that started in May that year. There were two strong foreshocks on June 11 and the mainshock was followed by numerous aftershocks which lasted until December 1773. The series of all these earthquakes is also referred to as the Santa Marta earthquake(s) as it had started on the feast day of Saint Martha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of Guatemala City</span> Metropolitan cathedral in Guatemala City

The Holy Church Cathedral Metropolitan Basilica of Santiago de Guatemala also Metropolitan Cathedral, officially Catedral Primada Metropolitana de Santiago, is the main church of Guatemala City and of the Archdiocese of Guatemala. It is located at the Parque Central in the center of the city. Its massive structure incorporates baroque and classical elements and has withstood numerous earthquakes. Damage by the devastating earthquakes of 1917 and 1976 has been repaired. The inside of the cathedral is relatively sparsely decorated but impresses by its size and its structural strength. The altars are ornate and decorative. In front of the cathedral stand a series of 12 pillars, solemnly remembering the names of thousands of people forcibly disappeared or murdered during the counterinsurgency violence of Guatemala's internal armed conflict, which began in 1960 and lasted until the final peace accord was signed in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palacio de la Autonomía</span>

The Palacio de la Autonomía is a museum and site where the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México gained autonomy from direct government control in 1929. The building is from the late 19th century, and located on the corner of Licenciado de Verdad and Rep de Guatemala streets, north of Santa Teresa la Antigua and east of Templo Mayor. The site has a 500-year history, starting from part of lands granted by Hernán Cortés. The current building was constructed by the administration of President Porfirio Díaz, but it was ceded to the university in 1910. Since that time, the building has had a number of uses, including housing a dental school and a preparatory school. Today it houses the Museo de la Autonomía Universitaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Recolección Architectural Complex</span> Building in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

La Recolección Architectural Complex is a former church and monastery of the Order of the Recollects and its adjacent park in Antigua, Guatemala. It is in the western part of the old city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala</span> Capital of the Spanish Captaincy General of Guatemala

Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala was the name given to the capital city of the Spanish colonial Captaincy General of Guatemala in Central America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iglesia y Convento de la Compañía de Jesús, Antigua Guatemala</span> Building in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

The Church and convent of the Society of Jesus in Antigua Guatemala is a religious complex that was built between 1690 and 1698. It was built on a block that is only 325 yards (300 m) away from the Cathedral of Saint James on a lot that once belonged to the family of famous chronicler Bernal Díaz del Castillo and had three monastery wings and a church. There were only a maximum of 13 Jesuit priest at any given time in the building, but they also hosted Jesuit brothers and secular students. In the building was the San Lucas School of the Society of Jesus, until the Jesuits were expelled from the Spanish colonies in 1767.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Cortés y Larraz</span>

Pedro Cortés y Larraz was Archbishop of Guatemala between 1767 and 1779 and bishop of Tortosa between 1780 and 1786.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Guatemala City</span>

Human settlement on the present site of Guatemala City began with the Maya who built a city at Kaminaljuyu. The Spanish colonists established a small town, which was made a capital city in 1775. At this period the Central Square with the Cathedral and Royal Palace were constructed. After Central American independence from Spain the city became the capital of the United Provinces of Central America in 1821.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Museum of Guatemalan Art</span> Art museum in Guatemala

The National Museum of Guatemalan Art is an art museum located in Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez Department.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rodríguez Girón, Flores & Garnica 1995, p. 585.
  2. Cadena 1774, p. 17.
  3. 1 2 3 Antigua Guatemala info n.d.
  4. "Palacio de los Capitanes". EasyGuate. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  5. "Museo Nacional de Arte de Guatemala MUNAG – SIC". www.sicultura.gob.gt. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  6. Contreras, Pamela (2023-11-11). "For the First Time Ever: Government Creates a National Art Museum of Guatemala | GTNews - Guatemalan News Agency" . Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  7. Conkling 1884, p. 342.
  8. 1 2 3 De Guate 2012.
  9. Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala 2012.
  10. Moncada Maya 2003.
  11. Rodríguez Girón, Flores & Garnica 1995, p. 586.
  12. Rodríguez Girón, Flores & Garnica 1995, p. 587.
  13. Gobierno de Guatemala 1907, p. 97.

Bibliography