Modern Guatemala City sits on the former site of an ancient Mayan city known as Kaminaljuyu. Most of Kaminaljuyu has been covered by urban sprawl, but parts of it can still be seen in Zona 13. The Spanish Conquistadors established a small town called El Carmen during early colonial times. However, Guatemala City was not officially founded until 1775, after Guatemala’s original capital city, La Antigua Guatemala, was all but destroyed by earthquakes and mud slides.

Most of the imposing Neoclassical administrative buildings and churches that we see today in Guatemala City were erected during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In some cases, builders used materials scrounged from the ruins of the old capital, now known simply as Antigua. French-style gardens and wide boulevards such as the Avenida de la Reforma were added to the city during the late 19th century as a result of increasing immigration from Europe.

A construction boom in the 1950’s resulted in modern complexes such as the National Theater and the Centro Civico, with its government office towers. Guatemala City’s downtown streets have been revitalized during recent years. New cafes and restaurants have moved into restored buildings, adding to the appeal of this bustling area.