The city of Antigua was founded in 1543 in the valley of Panchoy, surrounded by the Agua, Fuego, and Acatenago volcanoes. In 1549, the first two-story structure in the city was erected along the south end of the Plaza Mayor, or main square. (...)
The city of Antigua was founded in 1543 in the valley of Panchoy, surrounded by the Agua, Fuego, and Acatenago volcanoes. In 1549, the first two-story structure in the city was erected along the south end of the Plaza Mayor, or main square. This prominent Baroque complex, known as the Royal Palace of the Capitanes Generales, was commissioned as the political and military headquarters for the Spanish colonies of Central America. The architecture is characterized by a series of courtyard buildings with masonry arcades facing the city’s main square and contains a residence for the governor, an old jail, government offices, and the ruins of the former mint.
The Royal Palace of the Capitanes Generales endured as the center for the Spanish colonial leadership for over two centuries. However, the original structure was damaged by several earthquakes during the 17th and 18th centuries. The complex was reconstructed and modified several times, until it was partially destroyed by the 1773 earthquake. Due to the continued threat of seismic activity, the capital was relocated to Guatemala City in 1776, and after this time the city acquired the name “Antigua” to denote its former status as capital. When the political epicenter shifted to the newly founded capital, large portions of the city became derelict. However, a dynamic process of reuse ensued as the various religious and manufacturing interests remaining in Antigua began occupying the empty buildings. As a result, various structures in Antigua, including the Capitanes Generales, survive in a mixed state of conservation. In general, Antigua was unaffected by the 18th and 19th century architectural developments that transformed the urban fabric of other Guatemalan cities.
At the Capitanes Generales, the most authentic and complete structures are the jail—which is threatened by structural instability aggravated by the heavy use as police quarters—and the government offices. The palace and mint are mostly ruins, with only portions of the original structures in use. The entire complex has been affected by earthquakes, human interventions, lack of maintenance and inappropriate use, and is currently threatened by structural instability and cracks, water penetration, and progressive loss of original fabric.
