Etiqueta: Antigua Guatemala

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Museums and Galleries in Antigua Guatemala

The Art in Antigua Guatemala is embedded in every street and corner of the city. If you look around, everything is a collection of colonial buildings linked by cobbled streets that invite every visitor to enjoy of a beautiful and creative landscape everywhere.  The Antigua Guatemala museums and art galleries offer throughout the year, art exhibitions and various activities  presenting the different eras in the history of art. In this article you will find several places you can visit in this beautiful city, if you are an art lover or want to learn more about the topic you will definitely enjoy it.
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The Art in Antigua Guatemala is embedded in every street and corner of the city. If you look around, everything is a collection of colonial buildings linked by cobbled streets that invite every visitor to enjoy of a beautiful and creative landscape everywhere.  The Antigua Guatemala museums and art galleries offer throughout the year, art exhibitions and various activities  presenting the different eras in the history of art. In this article you will find several places you can visit in this beautiful city, if you are an art lover or want to learn more about the topic you will definitely enjoy it.

Patricia Solé, Former Vice-President of the Museums Association of Guatemala, says that most of the museums in Antigua Guatemala, reflect very well the Guatemalan culture because this is a very historic place and is consider the third capital of Guatemala, where is kept much of its heritage. Some of the best museums and cultural centers you can find here are the Museum of Native Costumes, the Antique Book Museum, The University of San Carlos Colonial Art Museum, and the Cultural Centers of La Azotea and El Sitio.

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El Sitio is a cultural center that works towards cultural diversity and sustainable human development. Enrique Matheu, and Scott MacLauchlan, founders of El Sitio, formed the center to promote artistic, cultural, and social development in Guatemala. Patricia Solé says that art exhibitions in El Sitio are presented to the public throughout the year since they are seasonal.

If we walk along the path, Oscar Ramos, Administrative and Financial Manager of the Coffee Museum in Antigua Guatemala located in La Azotea Cultural Center, invites us to take a pleasant walk through La Azotea Cultural Center, located on the outskirts of Antigua Guatemala, approximately five minutes from the central park, by car, shuttle or bus. It is a magical and colorful place where you can have great time learning about Guatemalan culture. We went to Ramos,  and he gave us a brief  explanation about the different museums:

  • The Coffee Museum, set in a coffee mill, illustrates the history, processing, marketing and brewing of coffee. At the end of your visit and after going for a walk through the working plantation, you can taste the delicious brew made from beans grown there.
  • In The Casa K’ojom Mayan Music Museum, you can enjoy watching a collection of Mayan musical instruments, artifacts, customs, and paintings from Pre-Columbian times to the present.
  • At the Rincón Sacatepéquez Museum you can admire the textiles and customs of people that lives in the villages of Antigua Guatemala. At the end of your visit, you can buy native Antigua Guatemala handicrafts, musical instruments, and music and video recordings.

Other famous and very interesting places you should visit are:​

  • The Santo Domingo Museum at the Convent – Hotel Casa Santo Domingo: is an ancient convent turned into an important museum and hotel in Antigua Guatemala. Patricia Solé, says that one of the art galleries that receive more visitors during the year is this one in Santo Domingo Hotel, dedicated to Marco Augusto Quiroa, a great Guatemalan writer and painter. This permanent art exhibition has art works by other Guatemalan and international artists.
  • Colonial Art Museum in University of San Carlos: According to Solé, this museum has suffered from several transformations over the past years in order to become better. It has received large donations to be fixed because it is visited by many tourists. It preserves great architectural beauty and is located in front of the Cathedral’s ruins, on the building that once sheltered the University of San Carlos of Borromeo. Its rich architecture consists of a series of rooms disposed around a main court with four corridors. This Antigua Guatemala museum withholds a wide art collection from the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, and an exhibition of around 133 works, among sculptures, paintings, and furniture.
  • Museum of the Ancient Book in Antigua Guatemala: If you like the history of books, how they started and how they have change through the years, this is the perfect place.  It is located in front of the Central Park, on the spot where the First Printing-house of the Kingdom of Guatemala was located (1660). This museum is considered one of a kind in Latin America and has three exhibition rooms: the “Introduction of the Press in Guatemala”, “Techniques: xylography and lithography”, and “The Speckled Paper Room”.  Its collection is calculated in 2500 documents, many of them donated by families who lived in Antigua Guatemala.
  • The Jade Museum in Antigua Guatemala: Jade was a rare and valued material in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica cultures, and the only source from which they could obtain jade was in Guatemala. Jade was largely an elite good, usually shaped into symbolic figurines. This Museum opened its doors since 1974 in Antigua Guatemala to show unique collectible pieces, as well as Mayan Art replicas created by expert craftsmen.
  • La Compañía de Jesús is a cultural center in Antigua Guatemala of the Spanish Cooperation, who has very good art exhibitions, also the ruins of Capuchina’s convent who have had exhibitions of Rembrandt art, adds Solé.
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Art Galleries

In addition to museums, there are also art galleries, essential pieces of Antigua’s lifestyle. There you can find local art, mostly mayan paintings with tradicional style, you can find mixed art like mayan with modern art or you can find some contemporary designs in sculpture and painting. Some arte galleries in Antigua Guatemala present permanent exhibits and some only schedule periods for each artist. Antigua Guatemala is an artistic foundation of art. Some of the most visited ast galleries in this place are:

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La Antigua Art Gallery, counts with large spaces dedicated to art exhibitions and a colorful garden, typical from the Colonial style houses where you can appreciate beautiful sculptures for outdoors. Julio Morán, from La Antigua Art Gallery, says that the gallery is specifically dedicated to the realization of exhibitions of art, especially painting and sculpture.

La Antigua Guatemala is a Cultural Heritage of Humanity, that is the reason why the interest and participation of the tourist is notorious. “You can see an extensive and exclusive collection of works of art of renowned masters and artists. 80% is Guatemalan art, and the remaining 20% is from the United States, Canadian, Central and South America, European, and South African artists.

In the Wer Art Gallery, you can enjoy the exhibitions of Guatemala and America’s art. Patricia Solé, former member of the Museums Association of Guatemala, comments that Wer Gallery has many art works from Guatemalan famous painters and recommends us to go take a look.

Other nice and important art galleries you can visit are: Centro de Arte Popular, Centro de Formación CIF, Panza Verde, María Eskenasy Fine Art, Estudio Cerámico, Central America Art Gallery, La Rosa de Cristal, Rocío Quiroa, and Alliance Française art gallery from La Antigua Guatemala.

Charlotte Rumel, Director of the Alliance Francaise from La Antigua Guatemala, says that the Alliance Française organizes international cultural activities and activities of local themes, such as paintings exhibitions, French music concerts or any other type of music, children and adults shows (puppets, street theater, theater), and fireworks shows. The gallery consists of classroom and courtyards where you can participate of the different activities…. SO ENJOY ANTIGUA’S HALL OF ART!!!

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Dulces Típicos de Guatemala

Los dulces típicos en Antigua Guatemala; Alfeñiques, las paciencias, canillitas de leche, tamarindos, pepitorias, huevo chimbo, las botellitas de miel, zapotes, espumillas. Estos son algunos de los deliciosos dulces guatemaltecos, que están esperando para que usted los pruebe y disfrute del placer de este sabor único. Una de las tiendas que produce y vende es “El Sombrerón”, ubicado en la 4 ª calle oriente No. 31, Antigua Guatemala, y fue fundada en 1986 como una empresa familiar. Gabriela Paredes, gerente del lugar, nos explica un poco de la historia interesante de las famosas recetas de dulces guatemaltecos.

Dulces de Guatemala: Llenos de Colores y Sabores de Antigua Guatemala

“Los dulces que preparamos en nuestra cocina se basa en recetas antiguas que hemos rescatado a través de los años. Ya hemos tenido algunas recetas de la familia, pero otros fuimos queriéndolos a través del tiempo por la gente en la industria que compartieron sus propias fórmulas. Ahora tenemos nuestras propias recetas de los dulces que se venden hoy en día”. Paredes añade que en la actualidad se producen 100 variedades de dulces, como caramelos de frutas, leche, harina, miel y mazapán.

Ana Patricia García, una persona que vende caramelos en Antigua Guatemala, nos habla de los dulces más comunes que la gente pide cada día en La Tienda de Dulces de Rosario de Yaquián, en Antigua: “canillitas de leche, colocho de guayaba, camote, mazapán, chilacayote, cocadas, higos, nuégados, tamarindos, pepitoria son los dulces que más se venden”.

De todo lo que los caramelos, la canillitas de leche, hecho de leche, azúcar y canela, son uno de los dulces más populares de Guatemala. Se les llama así por su forma alargada.

En Antigua Guatemala hay más de cincuentas tiendas donde puedes encontrar nuestros deliciosos dulces. Gracias a este negocio, nuestras tradiciones guatemaltecas están vivas a través de la comida. Antigua Guatemala es conocida como la ciudad tradicional de los dulces Guatemaltecos.

Para personas guatemaltecas es muy importante mantener nuestras tradiciones vivas, y uno de las tradiciones más importantes que tenemos son nuestros dulces. Eso es el porqué las familias empezaron a vender dulces de Antigua Guatemala en cualquier lugar, ofreciendo al visitante toda variedad de dulces naturales de Antigua Guatemala, siguiendo las tradiciones y recetas que heredamos de generación a generación.

Muchos de ellos son cocinados y preparados en una forma tradicional. Este es el porqué son tan deliciosos y naturales, sin preservativos químicos o procesos industrial.

La gastronomía guatemalteca es rica en variedad de dulces en todas las regiones del país desde el tiempo precolombino hasta hoy en día, pero Antigua Guatemala es la ciudad que más representa la variedad de sabores de nuestros dulces.

Paredes comenta que es importante para ella destacar las tradiciones guatemaltecas porque es parte de la integridad del país: ” Con estas tradiciones nosotros reflejamos la identidad de las personas y la región; cada una de ellos es un suplemento que juntos formamos Guatemala con el sabor de nuestros dulces.

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Deberíamos estar orgullosos de nuestra gastronomía y  demostrar nuestro orgullo disfrutando de los deliciosos dulces de Antigua en tiendas como María Gordillo, El Sombrerón, El Rosario de Yaquián, entre otros.

La Antigua Guatemala se ha posicionado como la mejor ciudad de dulces tradicionales en el país. Venga y disfrute de la Gastronomía de Guatemala de todos colores y sabores.

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Colorful local costumes in Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala is known for the culture that everything around the city reflects: the old buildings, the churches, the restaurant in Antigua Guatemala with small balconies with flowers, the central plaza with the municipal buildings, etc. But the most colorful and beautiful decoration of the city is the people wearing those amazing clothes with so many details, that you can spend many time admiring them and making up a story of every figure in the costume…. I am talking about the native Antigua Guatemala local costumes.

If you take a walk , you will see locals  wearing different types of costumes,  the traditional ones have evolved through the years and each town has its own. One of the museums that you can visit in order to learn more about the attractive Antigua Guatemala local costumes, is the Museum of the Indian Costume – the house of fabrics (Museo del traje indígena). This museum in Antigua Guatemala is located very close to the ruins of San Jerónimo´s convent and it is a great choice for you to visit and take a souvenir of Antigua Guatemala, while you learn about the Indian costumes. I am sure you will enjoy this visit because the tour inside  this Antigua Guatemala museum has different sections where exhibitions of native local costumes take place, with manikins that show an every-day-scene of the  local families. This way, you learn about the different costumes for each members of a family: the father, the mother and the children. In each scene the museum offers you a detailed description of the region of every costume, its meaning and the language of the people that wears them.

It is located in Alameda Santa Lucía, 1st street of Antigua Guatemala and it is open from Monday to Sunday, from 9am to 5pm, to all the excited tourists that are willing to know more about the amazing local costumes that we want to share with you.

Patricia Solé, Former Vice President of the Museums Association of Guatemala, tells us about the museum of Indian Costumes: “In the museum we can enjoy the history of different costumes in Guatemala through the years and in different regions. We can observe how the textile materials have evolved, from natural to synthetic fabrics”.

A long time ago, for the color of the fabrics, people used animal’s dye that was removed from the cochinilla and other insects, and now the dyes are made by chemicals. All this fabrics started to be made of synthetic fabrics and chemical tints because of the lack of cotton and insects that produce these natural materials. Solé says that because of this, huipiles are not opaque anymore, as the used to be. Unlike they have bright colors and have become fashionable outfits, with new pieces like the colorful and pretty aprons.

She invites us to go  to this Antigua Guatemala museum, visiting the different saloons where a wide variety of fabrics and textiles are shown; from shirts, pants, scarves, table mats, and decorative pieces, to fabrics with original designs that are made from threads and a weaver.

María René de Aguilar, General Director of the Ixchel Museum of Indian Costume, comments that what what attracts tourist the most about the traditional Antigua Guatemala costumes are the colors, the art of embroidery, and the symbols that represent each figure depending  the local’s hometown: “Each town is identified with its own suit. They are similar from one another, but with certain details or pieces that differ from each other”, De Aguilar says.

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Stig Marstein, a tourist from Norway that lived in Antigua Guatemala for seven weeks, says that what he likes about this costumes is that they are very colorful and 100% handmade, and also that they come in so many variations: “It is interesting and fascinating that people can take up to six months to make a piece of the costume, because the clothes have many symbols, pictures or images that represent the owner’s home place”, he says.

The costumes are changing over time and most of them have evolved since the nineteenth century until now, but they are still as colorful and nice as before. De Aguilar agrees with our other sources that say that what attracts the visitor the most  is the color, the small details, and the bliss of the Guatemalans for having  this kind of costumes as part of our culture in Antigua Guatemala and in all Guatemala.

Glendy Lissette Gómez, a woman that has been working in the crafts market for three years, invites all the tourists that visit Antigua Guatemala, to go to the market, located in front of the Cathedral, in the other side of the central park: “We invite you to see our beautiful costumes, 100% handmade. You can admire all the embroidery, with so many details, that makes the suit very special and of top quality”.

After reading this article, you may be interested in buying one of the traditional costumes from Antigua Guatemala. The daily outfit consisting of a blouse, skirt (named corte),and a belt; and the ceremonial outfit consisting of a longer blouse, skirt (corte), a belt, and a headpiece, can cost around Q3,000 to Q6,000 (US$350-$750), but you can find some beautiful ones cheaper and simpler.

Solé explains that each costume tells a story. The weaver makes the costume story and knows exactly the meaning of each symbol in it: birds, flowers, leaves, human figures … each object sends a message. In the museum of Indian Costume in Antigua Guatemala, all the costumes  have an interesting story andare part of a collection. Youcan rent them for exhibitions but they are not for sale.

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But if you want to get some for you own, you can buy these magical costumes in the craft marketvisible from the Alameda of Santa Lucía, near the monument to Rafael Landívar where they sell the different pieces from the different regions; and also in shopping stores in Antigua Guatemala. What are you waiting for!

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Churches and Convents of Antigua Guatemala

Visiting Antigua Guatemala is like stepping into a time-machine that takes you back over 300 years. This city is decorated with remarkable old buildings. It is curious to find so many religious buildings between short distances from one another, but there is a difference in each building. Antigua Guatemala has a variety of them.

Antigua Guatemala used to be the main city of Central America. It is possibly the most important touristic center in Guatemala. It was founded by the Spanish in the sixteenth century and served as the capital city of Central America for over two centuries. That is why the region’s architecture has a European style from the colonial times. You definitely don’t want to miss the amazing churches in Antigua Guatemala. Many of them had been damaged because of the seismic activity of the region that was regularly rocked by earthquakes because it is located between three volcanoes: Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango. 

The chapels are small temples designed especially to the meetings of the members of an order or congregation, not for public access. The oratorios are more private, used to have a special place to pray and celebrate mass, always with the permission of the Catholic Church. A parish is a church for a specific group in a geographical area, where the sacraments are administered. And the last term we will define is Cathedral: this is the main church that brings together administrative functions for the parishes and churches in Antigua Guatemala.

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Between Churches and Convents

Some of the well-known convents and churches in Antigua Guatemala you should visit and explore, are:

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Santo Domingo Convent

Santo Domingo was the first convent of the city. Its edification was in 1529 by Fray Domingo de Betanzos. In 1550 the professorship of Theology was establish in this place.

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San Francisco Convent

It was the second convent. Its story began in 1530, and in 1540 the convent was already well-known by everyone in town. In the second half of the twentieth century it is given the authority to become the Archdiocesan Shrine of Hermano Pedro.

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Nuestra Señora de Belén Convent​

It was founded by Pedro of San José de Betancurt in 1653. The place was small and very humble, used to attend sick homeless people. The founder was devoted especially to indoctrinate young people and years after, he built a church. This was the beginning of the Order of Betlemitas.

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Nuestra Señora de la Merced Convent-Church​

This was the third convent, from the congregation named the mercedarios. They began to establish monasteries throughout the Kingdom of Guatemala. Inside this convent-church is preserved an image of Jesus Christ with the Cross, which is considered one of the most beautiful images in the country and attracts a large numbers of churchgoers every year.

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Church and Convent of la Compañía de Jesús​

It was built in 1561, but his formal temple opened in 1626. Inside the church, important cultural events such as exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography, take place. It has become a part of the itinerary of many visitors of Antigua Guatemala.

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San Juan de Dios Convent​

It was founded in 1636 by religious who attended hospitals to treat, at separate locations, Spanish patients, mulattos, Indians and other members of the church.

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House of the Congregation of the Oratory of San Felipe de Neri

It was founded in the chapel of Vera Cruz. This temple was named San Miguel, where was founded the School of Christ years after.

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Church and convent of Las Capuchinas​

It is located in 2nd Avenue North and 2nd East Street, and it is open from 9 am to 5 pm very day of the week. It was abandoned after being destroyed in the earthquake of 1773. It restoration began in 1943 and it is still under repair today. The convent’s foundation dates to 1726, an art work from architect Diego de Porres. There are beautiful fountains and courtyards flanked by sturdy stone pillars with arches and bougainvilleas flowers around, that are the center of attention of many tourists and photographers. It is certainly the most elegant of the convents of Antigua Guatemala.

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Church and convent La Recolección​

located on La Recolección Avenue, this large church built between 1701 and 1715 was very damaged in 1717 in the same year it was inaugurated. The earthquake of 1773 finished with the construction and it has lain in ruins ever since. Before it was destroyed, the construction was very big, and it’s sacristy exceeded the size of any other church in Antigua Guatemala.

Antigua Guatemala has more than 30 monastic orders, and built stunning monasteries, convents and cathedrals in the town. These buildings make Antigua Guatemala one of the world’s best conserved colonial cities. The churches and ruins of Antigua Guatemala you will have the opportunity to visit are magical and captivating art works that makes you feel time might have stopped some 300 years ago. From its colonial architecture to its beautiful surroundings, when visiting Antigua Guatemala churches and convents, you will experience the splendors of ancient times.

Angel Arturo Miranda, member of the Cathedral Reconstruction Patronage of Antigua, says that he and group of people from Antigua Guatemala decided to form the patronage because of the constant destructions that the churches in Antigua Guatemala suffered after the earthquakes occurred in the place: “Since 1985, the Cathedral of Antigua Guatemala was in a very poor condition, like every other building. That is why we created the patronage to take care of this historic building. Since that time, the cathedral is in a very good condition and people come to Mass every week. We changed the floor, the walls are painted, it has electricity, sculptures are painted with 18 ct, among other improvements we have made”, he added.

And for the visitors, Wilfredo Moreira, Supervisor of the Tourism Police, says that ruins, convents, and churches in Antigua Guatemala are constantlymonitored by the police and the security agents that prevent robberies of the art works. Moreira also comments: “If tourists are going to visit a ruin or a church, they can asks us to go with them in the tour, and we can arrange the activity”.

If you enjoy going back in time and feel the ancient cultures inside your veins, you have to visit this city. An amazing place to learn the history of Guatemala, and the great architecture that this place can show you with its churches and monasteries, without forgetting the beautiful cathedral located at one side of the central park of Antigua Guatemala.

After reading this article, I hope you feel like visiting the antique art works located in Antigua Guatemala and enjoy an unforgettable stroll between churches and convents…

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Antigua Guatemala - Historia local

Antigua Guatemala, en el departamento de Sacatepéquez, (Cerro de Hierba), puede ser la ciudad colonial más destacadas y mejor conservada en la América española. Los turistas visitan Antigua Guatemala cada año en todo el mundo para disfrutar de sus bellezas naturales y monumentos históricos. El estilo colonial español impregna cada parte de la ciudad: sus casas, iglesias, plazas, parques y ruinas, también sus tradiciones y el folclore. Antigua es una ciudad de encanto y color donde se puede ver y comprar una abrumadora variedad de atractivos, productos hechos a mano que hacen honor a las tradiciones de generaciones de artesanos.

El clima templado de Antigua Guatemala y lo amistoso de sus habitantes dan la bienvenida a los visitantes, la ciudad cuenta con todos los servicios necesarios: hoteles sofisticados, cafés y restaurantes (con menús tradicionales e internacionales), bancos, tiendas, cafés Internet, agencias de viajes, escuelas de español y galerías de arte de la más alta calidad.

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Antigua se encuentra en un valle de montaña (1500 metros) dominado por el espectacular volcán de Agua (3765 metros de altura). Un poco más lejos están otros dos volcanes Acatenango y el siempre activo y a veces en erupción, el Volcán de Fuego. Las ciudades y pueblos vecinos como Ciudad Vieja, Jocotenango, San Juan El Obispo, Santa María de Jesús, San Bartolomé Milpas Altas y Barahona Santa Catalina. Cada una de estas ciudades se merece una visita, aunque sólo sea para ver sus iglesias coloniales históricas o a los pobladores en sus actividades diarias.

La cocina de Antigua Guatemala ofrece una combinación al paladar de sabores tradicionales, aromas y condimentos que producen un delicioso menú, nutritivo y variado, algo que no te puedes perder en los mejores restaurantes de Antigua Guatemala.

Antigua Guatemala también es conocida por su artesanía: terracota, cerámica, hierro forjado, plata y joyas de jade, tallas de madera, muebles de estilo colonial tallados, una gran variedad de trajes y tejidos tradicionales, figuras de piedra, bronce, jarcia, juguetes tradicionales y mucho más.

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Para obtener más información acerca de la artesanía a mano en Guatemala, puedes iniciar sesión en la sección de Arte y Cultura. Reforzando el  sabor internacional de Antigua Guatemala están más de 50 escuelas de español que acogen estudiantes de todo el mundo.

Antigua Guatemala, situada en el Valle de Panchoy, se denominó ‘La Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala “por los conquistadores en 1543 y ha sido declarada Patrimonio de la Humanidad por la UNESCO. La feria patronal de Antigua Guatemala (Santiago: Patrono de los conquistadores) se celebra el 25 de julio. Después de la conquista de los mayas por los españoles, las razas mezclaron sus costumbres y tradiciones y dieron origen a una forma singular de la vida, arte y cultura que se refleja hoy en día en todos los aspectos de Antigua Guatemala.

Lugares para visitar

Entre los maravillosos lugares para visitar en Antigua Guatemala, están:

  • La Plaza Mayor (Central Park)
  • El Palacio de los Capitanes Generales
  • El Museo Colonial
  • El Museo del Libro Antiguo
  • La Catedral
  • El Museo de Santiago o el Palacio del Ayuntamiento (La Municipalidad)
  • La Iglesias de La Merced y San Francisco
  • El Convento Capuchinas (Ruinas de Nuestra Señora del Pilar)
  • Las Ruinas de Santa Clara
  • Las ruinas de San Agustín
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Parque Central

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Los visitantes y lugareños por igual disfrutan de La hermosa Plaza Mayor, donde se encuentra La hermosa fuente llamada La Fuente de las Sirenas construida en 1739 por Diego de Porres, rodeada de jardines festivos. Rodeando el Parque Central se encuentra la Catedral Metropolitana, El Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, El Portal del Comercio y El Palacio del Noble Del Ayuntamiento.

Catedral Metropolitana

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La Catedral Metropolitana fue construida en 1543, La catedral fue semi – destruida por los terremotos a través de los años, pero ahora está parcialmente restaurada y conserva los hermosos detalles coloniales de su arquitectura española.

El Palacio de los Capitanes

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Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, edificio colonial que fue durante varios siglos el palacio de los gobernadores de La España de Reyes. Tiene 26 arcos de dos pisos que se extienden más de cien metros.

Palacio del Noble Ayuntamiento

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Palacio del Noble Ayuntamiento en la época colonial (desde 1743) fue la sede del Cabildo Español y más tarde usado como cárcel. Ahora situado ahí está El Museo del Libro Antiguo, El Museo de Santiago y La Municipalidad de Antigua.

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Actividades que realizar y lugares que visitar durante la época de lluvia

Durante la época de lluvia se nos dificulta realizar actividades que deseamos, sin embargo eso no significa que no puedas llevar a cabo otras actividades, a continuación te recomendamos algunos tours que puedes realizar en lugares cerrados , continúa leyendo este artículo que hemos realizado pensando en ti, titulado “Actividades que realizar y lugares que visitar durante la época de lluvia en Antigua Guatemala“.

ChocoMuseo

Se encuentra ubicado a 1.5 cuadras de la plaza de armas de esa hermosa ciudad colonial, en la 4ta. Calle Oriente No. 14. Después de haber recorrido la Antigua Guatemala, en un tour cultural, visitando las ruinas e iglesias de esta hermosa ciudad colonial, ChocoMuseo se convierte en una parada perfecta para relajarte en su patio. Serás recibido por los mejores profesores para que puedas realizar tu taller de chocolate de dos horas. Aquí aprenderás sobre el cacao y el chocolate, al igual que el proceso de producción y la historia del cacao desde los mayas, hace más de 1000 años, te enseñarán a realizar tu propio chocolate desde el grano hasta la barra.

Cata de Café

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Esta sesión en Antigua Guatemala es ideal para aquellos apasionados de el café que desean conocer o profundizar sus conocimientos en la cata del aromático grano. La sesión se desarrolla en el laboratorio de cata de la plantación de café, equipado con todos los utensilios necesarios para que el participante conozca las generalidades de la clasificación del café, proceso de tostado, preparación. Conocerá sobre los tipos de defectos y principalmente sobre las características del grano tales como fragancia, aroma, sabor, acidez y post gusto. La sesión  finaliza degustando una taza del mejor café, genuino de Antigua Guatemala producido en la plantación, el cual se degusta en la preparación de su elección: americano o espresso. Tu puedes elegir el horario para realizar el tour: 9am, 11am o 2pm.

Museos en Casa Santo Domingo

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El Paseo de los Museos en Casa Santo Domingo, Antigua Guatemala es una ruta cultural creada en virtud de un convenio entre la Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala y el Hotel Casa Santo Domingo. Esta ruta hace posible la visita a los museos instalados en los que fueran templo y Convento de Santo Domingo y al Colegio Mayor de Santo Tomás de Aquino, lugares que durante la época de la dominación española constituyeron una sola unidad.

Museo Casa del Tejido Antiguo

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Se encuentra localizado en la 1a calle poniente # 51, a pocos pasos de las ruinas del Convento san Jerónimo, abrió sus puertas en la ciudad  de Antigua Guatemala  14 de marzo de 1998, teniendo la satisfacción de ser el único lugar en Guatemala donde puedes ver, aprender, comprar textiles y artesanías elaboradas por gente de la cultura maya. La experiencia en este lugar inicia con la realización de un tour a través del Museo, donde se exponen las costumbres mayas y textiles en una atmósfera típica. El tour se lleva a cabo con las instrucciones de un guía bilingüe, comenzando con la vista de instrumentos básicos que sirven para la preparación manual de los hilos que se utilizan en telares de acuerdo al tamaño del tejido. También podrás observas utensilios de barro, éstos se relacionan con la cultura maya y fueron utilizados como vasijas, comales, piedras de moler y otros instrumentos autóctonos. En este lugar hay muchas cosas por aprender, sin duda agluna esta es una visita que debe estar en tus planes.

Centro Cultural y Museo la Azotea

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Este complejo abre sus puertas de lunes a viernes de 8:30 a 16:30, los sábados de 8:30 a 14:00, el domingo permanece cerrado. Cuenta con transporte gratuito en microbús desde el Parque Central de La Antigua Guatemala saliendo cada hora. El Museo La Azotea se ubica en Jocotenango. Hay que conducir hasta la iglesia localizada en la Parque central de Jocotenango, justo frente a la misma se encuentra la Calle del Cementerio que lleva directo a la entrada del museo. Conocido como Museo del Café o La Azotea, este museo es un completo centro cultural, cuenta con salas de exposiciones, degustaciones, souvenirs y audiovisuales, aquí puedes disfrutar de un recorrido por la finca para conocer a fondo el proceso del café.
Este lugar cuenta con 3 atractivos:

  • El Museo del Café y sendero natural
  • Rincón Sacatepéquez
  • Casa Kojom.

Museo del Cafe: 
Es el atractivo principal de La Azotea y lleva a los visitantes por un paseo en el tiempo desde las primeras cosechas de café en La Antigua Guatemala.
Rincón Sacatepéquez:
Muestra una variedad de representaciones a escala real de la vida cotidiana, convivencia y tradiciones culturales en la región.
Casa Kojom:

Área específica para exhibición de instrumentos musicales tradicionales de la región. En el recorrido se puede apreciar representaciones de músicos y bailarines de danzas folclóricas y moros con sus respectivos atuendos, tales como máscaras y capas.

¡¡TIENES QUE VISITAR ESTE LUGAR!!

Museo de Arte Colonial

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Los viajeros no pueden perder la oportunidad de visitar esta edificación y pasear por sus corredores los cuales traen de inmediato a la memoria de quienes la visitan  como era la actividad académica y la vida estudiantil para los que asistían a la Universidad de San Carlos. La construcción en sí es una expresión de arte y en sus salones exhibe una colección de arte del siglo XVI al XVIII, entre las piezas se encuentran pinturas de gran tamaño excediendo los 2 metros de ancho e incluso un carruaje de la época.

Esta edificación se constituyó como Museo en el año 1936 gracias al apoyo de la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, Ciencia y Cultura. Abre sus puertas de martes a domingo de 9:00 a 16:00 horas. Se permite tomar fotografías excepto en el área de exhibición de las pinturas.

Museo del Jade

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Jade era un material raro y valioso en las culturas Mesoamérica y precolombina, y la única fuente de la que podría obtener el jade era en Guatemala. El Jade fue en gran medida un buen élite, usualmente toma la forma de figuras simbólicas. Este museo abrió sus puertas desde 1974 en Antigua Guatemala para mostrar  piezas únicas de colección. Así como réplicas de arte maya creadas por expertos artesanos.

Galería Panza Verde

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Galería Panza Verde se complace en presentar y apoyar la obra de reconocidos artistas Guatemaltecos, así como de artistas de reconocimiento internacional. Exhibiciones anteriores han incluido obras de los fotógrafos de fama mundial: Luis González Palma, Julio Zadik y Daniel Chauche. El segundo miércoles de cada mes cuentan con una apertura para artistas destacados, de 5 a 7 PM

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Top 5 lugares que no puedes dejar de Visitar en Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala es una de las ciudades coloniales mas increíbles de latinoamérica. Desde su fundación fue nombrada como Santiago de Los Caballeros.  Hoy en día Antigua Guatemala es un Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad desde 1979.  Antigua Guatemala es conocida por la belleza de sus sitios turísticos, caminar por las calles empedradas te hará retroceder en el tiempo.

Aquí te dejamos el Top cinco, de los lugares que por nada del mundo puedes dejar de ver en tu visita a esta hermosa Ciudad Colonial, Antigua Guatemala.

Cerro de la Cruz

Anteriormente fue conocido como Cerro del Manchén. Es un lugar muy hermoso para ver la Ciudad de Antigua Guatemala desde otra perspectiva, tu podrás apreciar las estructuras, techos de teja, los colores azules, rojos o amarillos de las paredes de las casas que allí se encuentran.  Así mismo al fondo, se logra apreciar la majestuosidad de uno de los guardianes de esta ciudad el Volcán de Agua.

Arco de Santa Catalina

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Si hay algo que identifique a Antigua Guatemala es su Arco, se ha convertido en un icono inconfundible de la Ciudad, además de ser lo más fotografiado por los turistas. Se encuentra ubicado al norte del Parque central en la 5ta. Avenida Norte. La calle del Arco de Santa Catalina es el punto de referencia para poder ubicarse en la ciudad. En la Calle del Arco se realizan festividades como la celebración de fin de año y llegada del año nuevo, presentando una variedad de eventos culturales que van desde música en vivo en Antigua Guatemala, poesía y relatos, hasta bailes tradicionales.

Tanque de la Unión

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Este es un antiguo lavadero publico, esta situado a tan solo tres cuadras del Parque Central , justo en frente de la Iglesia y Hospital del Hermano Pedro. Este es un punto clásico en tu visita a La Antigua Guatemala.  Su función era la de proveer agua para lavar la ropa en los tiempos coloniales. El tanque es el lugar más fresco y sin duda alguna tiene una atmósfera romántica, que es elegida por los enamorados. Después de visitar este romántico y lugar lleno de historia. No olvides descansar en el ambiente acogedor y relajante que los hoteles en Antigua Guatemala te pueden ofrecer.

Iglesia la Catedral

La Catedral se encuentra ubicada en el Centro de la Antigua Guatemala en frente del Parque Central. Su estructura es un distintivo arquitectónico y de gran importancia histórica. Se encuentra hasta la fecha como en sus años dorados. Es una de las principales estructuras de esta ciudad.

Iglesia del Hermano Pedro

Una Vista de esta belleza arquitectura Colonial. Se encuentra ubicada en la esquina de la 6ta. Calle Poniente y 3ra. Avenida Sur. Se caracteriza por sus detalles y por su atrio pequeño. Su nombre está ligado al Santo Hermano Pedro, quien en su tiempo pudo ver como se realizaba su deseo. Después de tu recorrido por las principales estructuras de la Ciudad, visita los Restaurantes de Antigua Guatemala para degustar de los mejores platillos típicos de Antigua.

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El Sabor de mi Guatemala

Guatemala cuenta con una gran variedad de comidas típicas debido a que es una país multicultural. No dejes de leer este artículo llamado “El Sabor de mi Guatemala” que está lleno de sabor, el sabor que a los chapines tanto nos gusta.

Visita la Antigua Guatemala y en Cada Restaurante que visites encontrarás estos deliciosos platillos, que estás esperando estos platillos esperan para llenar de sabor tu paladar.

Los deliciosos Tamales

Los Tamales se han convertido en un platillo típico tradicional para todos los guatemaltecos, es en un platillo para disfrutar los sábados, pero también para celebraciones, para Navidad o para año nuevo. Hoy en día el tamal se encuentra en la mayoría de los países de América, pero los de nuestra Guatemala son únicos.

Los Chuchitos

El chuchito es un platillo tradicional y muy emblemático en la cocina guatemalteca, los chuchitos son elaborados a base de masa de maíz, va mezclado con un recado de tomate y con un relleno que puede ser carne de res o de marrano, y va envuelto en hojas de tusa. Esta comida puede ir acompañado de una salsa de tomate y espolvoreado con queso duro.

Tamalitos de Chipilín

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Cuando hablamos de tamales, no pueden hacer falta los deliciosos tamalitos de chipilín, los puedes acompañar con salsa de tomate, queso duro o bien sea con un muy buen preparado picante.

Enchiladas

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En Guatemala no solo tenemos platillo típico para disfrutar los sábados, los domingos también tenemos un delicioso platillo y son las Enchiladas, estas son preparadas con carne molida, curtido de remolacha, salsa, estos ingredientes se colocan sobre una tostada y son adornadas con huevo y queso duro.

Pepián

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El Pepián es un guiso tradicional guatemalteco, que puede ser de carne, cerdo o pollo o incluso puede ser una mezcla entre ellos. El 26 de noviembre de 2007 fue declarado como Patrimonio Cultural Intangible de la Nación, por el Gobierno de Guatemala. Para acompañarlo no puede hacer falta el arroz, aguacate y unas tortillas bien calientes, recién salidas del comal.

Hilachas

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Hilachas es un platillo bastante popular en Guatemala,  hecha de carne cocida y desmenuzada que se cuece a fuego lento en una salsa de tomatillo, tomate ligeramente picante. Acompáñalo con arroz y tortillas de maíz frescas para una comida completa.

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Easter Week in Antigua Guatemala

Semana Santa ” Easter Week” in Antigua Guatemala is an event worthy of seeing; it is a grandiose hommage to Jesus’ image and its ‘via-crusis’ that is reflected in the ‘procesiones‘ (processions) with images made artistically by Guatemalan artisans. It is also part of this tradition, the creation of the beautiful carpets (Alfombras) made with flowers of all kind and colored sawdust that adorn the different streets of Antigua Guatemala, all this it is a work of art.

Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala is a reflection of the religious fervor brought behind from Spain five hundred years ago.

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During Holy Week, Antigua Guatemala hosts the most beautiful religious celebration in the America, when huge processions wind their way through the town’s streets. Actually, the celebration begins on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and reaches its climax on Good Friday, when Antigua streets are thronged with processions and reverent spectator. The processions consist of big floats, or ‘andas’, bearing statues of Christ with a cross, that are carried by hundreds of purple-robed men.

A float with the Virgin Mary Follows by women dressed in black clothing. The processions move slowly through. Antigua cobblestone streets, the feet of the bearers cushioned in the sawdust carpets, which are destroyed as the procession passes over. Visit Antigua during Holy Week, and lent means an extraordinary spiritual rewarding experience which you will never forget.

Antigua Guatemala is famous for its spectacular and elaborate religious festivities during Easter Week (Holy Week – Semana Santa). But let’s not forget the Carpets tradition (Alfombras de Acerrin), national and international visitor’s crowd streets not just to see the processions, but also to participate in the detailed elaboration of these colorful carpets to adorn the processional route.

Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala: Processions, Alfombras and Devotion

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The Holy week in Antigua Guatemala is famous for its Catholic celebration, which commemorates the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The entire city participates in the vent, and receives thousands of national and international visitors.

Holy Week takes place sometime between March 22nd and April 23rd, and the entire week is full f solemn activities. In Guatemala, processions (procesiones) in the 334 municipalities of the country take place during the Holy Week and Lent. The three cities that are notable for their celebration of Easter week or Holy Week are Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango. 

During Easter Week in Antigua Guatemala happens the biggest religious celebration in the region, when huge processions wind their way through the town’s streets. In Antigua Guatemala, this week is expected not only by the tourist but also by the Restaurants in Antigua Guatemala and Stores and Shopping places that oppen their doors to the tourists. The most relevant activities during this time are religious activities like processions, carpets (alfombras), and vigils (vigilias).

Everybody adorn the streets with Easter week carpets using colored sawdust, flowers, fruit, flowers, vegetables and other materials making spectacular designs for the procession to pass over. The processions are of a religious theme depicting the last days of Christ.

Join me to a journey through the streets of Antigua Guatemala, where Julio Roberto Gómez, Human Resources Director of La Antigua Guatemala Municipality, will tell us how to enjoy our stay in a hotel in Antigua Guatemala during Holy Week and with the different activities that the city offers:

Before Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala, during the Lent, there is a period for preparation for the Passion Week, where you can assist to vigils every Friday with its respective procession on Sunday in some villages and municipalities: first Lent Friday and first Lent Sunday, in Santa Catalina Bobadilla; second Friday and Sunday of Lent, in Santa Ines del Monte Pulciano; third Friday and Sunday of Lent, in Jocotenango; fourth Friday and Sunday of Lent, in Santa Ana; fifth Friday and Sunday of Lent, in San Bartolomé Becerra.

Gómez also invites you to the activities for the Semana de Dolores, the week before Easter. You can attend to the vigils of the Virgin of the most important churches in Antigua Guatemala: La Merced, San Francisco, and Escuela de Cristo, and Friday of Dolores, the famous procession of Jesús El Desamparado, just for kids.

The processions consist of big floats, or andas, bearing statues of Christ with a cross, that are carried by hundreds of purple-robed men, commonly called Cucuruchos.

According to Gómez, the processions and vigils of the most important churches in the city are Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos); the procession of the History of the Church La Merced; on Holy Monday, the Vigil of Jesús Nazareno de la Merced; on Holy Tuesday, Vigil of Jesús del Perdón de San Francisco el Grande; on Holy Wednesday, Vigil of Jesús Sepultado de la Escuela de Cristo; on Holy Thursday, procession of Jesús del perdón; on Holy Friday, in the morning the procession of Jesús Nazareno de la Merced, and in the afternoon the procession of El santo entierro del santuario de la aldea de San Felipe de Jesús and El Santo entierro of the church Escuela de Cristo; on Holy Saturday, in the afternoon, procession of Virgin of the Village of San Felipe de Jesús, and the procession of La Escuela de Cristo Church; and Resurrection Sunday Procession of Jesús Resucitado of the Church Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro.

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Besides the processions, there is also another relevant activity in Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. This place is famous for its spectacular carpets tradition (alfombras de Acerrin). The visitors enjoy walking on the streets of Antigua Guatemala not only to see the processions, but also to participate in the detailed elaboration of these colorful carpets to adorn the processional route.

Guillermo Montiel, member of a family that has been making carpets for Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala for more than 40 years, says that this is a tradition of years that comes from the Colonial era and the religious culture that the missionaries of that time, somehow created what we try to keep today living through these traditions.

There are two types of carpets that are made during Easter Week in Antigua Guatemala: The carpets along the processional route, made by residents who invite friends and family to assist them, and the carpets in the churches that are made for the holy vigils by the brotherhoods.

Montiel, that has approximately 48 years of making carpets in Antigua Guatemala, explains us that first of all, they made cardboard molds of creative figures to use when making the carpets, made of sawdust, sand, lime, and other materials, depending on the design of the carpet.

Sawdust is then collected and dyed in different colors. Favorite colors are purple, green, blue, red, yellow and black. Flowers such as bougainvillea, chrysanthemums, carnations, roses and other native plants and pine needles are also used.

“One of my favorites Easter week processions in Antigua Guatemala is the procession of La Merced, for Good Friday, because all the members of the Montiel family, cousins, uncles, brothers, sons… help in organizing and making the carpet. This Departs at 9pm on Thursday and returns Friday at 8 am. It takes to walk the streets all night, and is one of the main processions that walk in one of the longest carpet, that measures 20 meters. This carpet attracts many tourists”, adds Montiel.

On Good Friday the streets of Antigua Guatemala are covered with natural, aromatic carpets of flowers, pines, clover and fruits, which the residents put together and place in front of their homes. There are all kinds and shapes. Some are very long, even up to a kilometer, with colonial, Mayan, Roman or other original designs, and are made during the 24 hours prior to the procession. If more than one procession goes down a street a new carpet is made for each procession. Preparations for the carpets begin weeks, sometimes months, ahead. Carpets are started the day before the procession so that the carpets are finished just before the carriers of the float arrive to look its best.

Carlos Roca, Ex President of La Hermandad de Jesús Nazareno del Perdón, of San Francisco, says that another activity during Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala is the vigils (velaciones) that are held in the churches that have religious activities during the holiday: “One of the traditions in Antigua for Holy Week is the presence of Jesus in the tabernacle in all the churches so that people can visit Jesus at any time”, adds.

As you could see, Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala is a colorful week, a lot of traditional folklore, gastronomy of the time, a big economic movement, a lot of spiritual and religious movement. Gómez, of Antigua’s Municipality, agrees and comments that in these days, La Antigua Guatemala offers the visitors what they need, what they want: “Everybody is satisfied with what they see and experience, everyone finds their own niche and this is why, every year more and more tourists visit Antigua Guatemala for Holy Week. I believe that these religious practices are also an element that helps tourists get an idea of our traditions, which are shown with the majestic processions and carpets that decorates Antigua’s streets.

Spiritual activities in Ester Week in Antigua Guatemala

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Every Friday of Lent: Way of the Cross (Vía crusis) from the Church of San Francisco to El Calvario (Santo Hermano Pedro used to do this to remember the passion of Christ)

On Friday of Dolores: Vía crusis of Silence, leaving from the Church of San Francisco to El Calvario at 3:00am, in which participates more than 500 people.

Saturday de Ramos: Vía crusis of Silence from the Church of San Francisco to El Calvario, at 5:00 am, in which only women participate.

Sunday of Ramos: The Church commemorates the triumphal entry and passion of Jesus and the branches are blessed.

Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday and Holy Thursday: In the San Francisco Church, the Franciscan Friars pray the morning prayers before the Holy Mass at 6:30am.

Holy Thursday: In every church, takes place the institution of the Eucharist at 4:00 or 5:00pm, and after the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in a richly decorated altar.

Holy Friday: at 3:00 pm, the Church celebrates the adoration of the Cross

Saturday de Gloria:  All the churches celebrate at 10:00pm the Resurrection of Jesus

Easter Sunday: Churches celebrate Holy Mass celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus.