Main Plaza and Central Market

This is La Catedral Metropolitana---begun in 1782 and completed in 1815---situated on one side of the Plaza Central in the older part of Guatemala City. On the pillars of this cathedral are etched the names of many of those Guatemalans who have disappeared during times of political unrest.

There are many vendors trying to sell their goods in the Central Plaza. Among other things, this woman was selling crocheted hats that I found really interesting. Neil calls me an easy target. I just need to learn how to "admire" their goods without having to end up buying them!



This is a great view of the Central Plaza with its magnificient water fountain. It was a beautiful day and many people were just enjoying the sunshine and watching the pigeons. There were many kinds of vendors also enjoying the weather.

These men were selling pineapples in the Plaza.


On one side of the Central Plaza is a beautiful old building that used to be the Presidential Palace. It has not housed any president since the early 1990's, and is now an important museum. The Palacio Nacional de la Cultura tells the story of Guatemala's colonial history and of its leaders. Although the president doesn't live here, it is often used to host special visiting dignitaries.


A short walk behind the Cathedral brings you to the Mercado Central (located within an underground building constructed to replace the market that was destroyed during the earthquake of 1976). There are several levels to wander through where you will find handicrafts, fabric, clothing, and more. The basement is a produce market where you can find fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers and plants. We enjoy coming here, but the parking is very limited.

A few weeks ago I (Kathy) came to the Central Market with some friends looking for some baskets for our home. My friends (who had been living in the country for a year) said that they had never seen any baskets in the Central Market. Well, we went down a couple of levels and.....BINGO! I couldn't believe how many types of baskets and woven items I discovered! And there were stalls and stalls of them!