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1868 Guatemala City map. On the left side of the Plaza de Armas is the Cabildo -City Hall- and the cárcel -jail- on the lot that later would be used to build the National Palace. Guatemala City Hall in 1907. Built when the city moved from Santiago de los Caballeros to La Ermita, it was operating until it was destroyed by the 1917 Guatemala ...
Guatemala, Guatemala (GT) Known as Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, it is identified as Guatemala City's symbol in its monumental architectural context. It was the most important building in Guatemala and was the headquarters of the President of Guatemala.
- Safety in Zone 1
- Plaza Mayor
- Guatemala National Palace
- Tour Hours & Cost
- Entrance to Guatemala National Palace
- Palace’s Courtyard
- Monument to Peace
- The Changing of The Rose
- Touring The Rest of The Palace
- Historic Murals
While this was a big concern for a long time, the government and local businesses have really stepped it up and revitalized a once super-sketchy part of the city. This has done wonders for tourism (watch the short video midway in the post here). One of the first things I noticed was the heavy police presence. There were a few “shady” characters mil...
The first place I visited was the main city square, Plaza Mayor de la Constitucion (it has had many names in the last – including Plaza de Los Lamentos(Laments’ Plaza) at one point). Lots of history has happened here and presently it serves as the grounds for a farmer’s market on weekends. It has served as a political demonstration area, and for mi...
Construction of the Palace was ordered by President (Dictator, really) Jorge Ubicoand started in 1939. It took four years to build and at a relatively low cost, since prisoners were forced to work in the projects for a measly 0.25 cents a day, back when Guatemala’s currency had the same value as the dollar. Incidentally, in the Palace’s current gro...
Tours are scheduled every working hour and are free to Guatemalan citizens. English-language tours are conducted at 11 am and 3 pm and foreigners must pay a Q40 ($5) fee upon entering. The guides are knowledgeable and the tour lasts about 45 minutes.
Right at the entrance to the Palace, there’s a marker indicating “Kilometer 0”, from which all roads into Guatemala lead out of. Of note is that while this is the true “zero point”, another symbolic marker exists in the building. We’ll cover that later. The interior of the building is elegant and nicely designed. The tour led us right into the cour...
Dictators can be kind of fickle and superstitious. Dictator Ubico liked the number “5” so much, he sought to incorporate it everywhere he could. That’s why there are five “main” arches on every side of every courtyard, and five stories to the building, among other details. What used to be an open-air courtyard, is no longer so. This is to protect t...
Guatemala endured a long and violent civil war not that long ago. Finally, in 1996, both sides made peace and it was here at the Palace that peace accords were signed. To commemorate the occasion, a bronze statue, the “Monument to Peace” (below) was installed. Notice there are two left hands reaching up, representing each side of the conflict. This...
Of note is that the original design called for a dove to be represented above the hands, signifying the release of peace. Somehow that plan was scrapped and a white rose was selected as the symbol of peace. When the monument was created, the rose was replaced every day, at 11 am, in a formal ceremony. This was to signify that peace was a process th...
After we were done with the courtyard, we swung by a relic: Guatemala’s first switchboard console. Below is the original equipment. The building has various styles mixed throughout. Ubico liked Spanish-style buildings as well as Arabic accents, such as the fountains below.
Scattered throughout the building are huge murals depicting Guatemala’s history. From Mayan ancestors, through Spanish rule, all the way to Guatemala’s independence. Below is a depiction of a bird being sacrificed. No human sacrifices needed that time, apparently. The Spanish came and fought the Mayans… … and the Mayans lost. The rails on the stair...
461 reviews. #8 of 95 things to do in Guatemala City. Historic SitesArt MuseumsHistory Museums. Closed now. Write a review. About. The elaborate interior of this former presidential palace houses paintings and sculptures by famous Guatemalan artists. Suggest edits to improve what we show. Improve this listing. Tours & experiences.
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Guatemala City. On the north side of Parque Central is this imposing presidential palace, which was built between 1936 and 1943 during the dictatorial rule of General Jorge Ubico at enormous cost to the lives of the prisoners who were forced to labor here. It's the third palace to stand on the site.
National Palace. 6A Calle, Guatemala City, GTM. ADD TO TRIP. Situated in the heart of Guatemala City, the National Palace (Palacio Nacional de la Cultura) showcases the country's rich political past and cultural heritage.
6a Calle, Guatemala City, Guatemala. Our Rating Neighborhood Zona 1 Hours Daily 9am-noon and 2-5pm Phone 502/2253-0748 Prices Free admission. About our rating system. The grand palacio, the Plaza Mayor's most ornate building, once housed the nation's executive branch.
