© Luis Siguenza/Lonely Planet
Top choice in San Salvador
Facing the revamped Plaza Barrios, the cathedral is the most significant landmark in the city and the resting place of Archbishop Óscar A Romero. In the early days of the civil war, Monseñor Romero criticized the government from the pulpit until he was assassinated in 1980 while giving Mass at a nearby hospital. Look for his image in the mural inside the dome.
Monseñor Romero's tomb, decorated with a sculpture by Italian artist Paolo Borghi, can be viewed in the crypt below the cathedral.
0.18 MILES
Designed by sculptor Ruben Martinez and completed in 1971, Iglesia El Rosario is radically beautiful. Arguably the finest church in Central America, its…
14.05 MILES
Known as the Pompeii of America, Unesco World Heritage Site Joya de Cerén was a small Maya settlement that was buried under volcanic ash when the Laguna…
19.78 MILES
Opened in 2000 as a charitable initiative to support victims of domestic violence, the Centro Arte para la Paz now organizes a range of cultural…
4.17 MILES
Moss-covered bridges, pebbled paths, small waterfalls and ponds home to croaking frogs, turtles and feeding fish provide the perfect antidote to city…
19.46 MILES
The modest ruins of Cihuatán were once an immense urban area alongside the Río Guazapa, possibly the largest pre-Columbian city between Guatemala and Peru…
3.28 MILES
At Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (La UCA), the Centro Monseñor Romero pays homage to the martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero. Highly…
3.92 MILES
'God's Tree' is an institute dedicated to the work of world-famous painter Fernando Llort, with a gallery displaying sophisticated pieces that differ from…
Museo de la Palabra y La Imagen
1.2 MILES
This innovative museum examines the history of El Salvador's civil war (1981–1992), beginning with the long-term context of the 1920s struggle for…
0.05 MILES
This aging beauty still hosts major productions in the capital. Inaugurated in 1917, the theater was renovated in French classical style in the mid-20th…
0.07 MILES
Built in the early 20th century of Italian marble, the Palacio Nacional was the government headquarters until 1974. A few of the rooms now preserve…
0.18 MILES
Designed by sculptor Ruben Martinez and completed in 1971, Iglesia El Rosario is radically beautiful. Arguably the finest church in Central America, its…
0.23 MILES
Surrounded by street vendors, the Gothic towers of the Iglesia El Calvario are worth a peek. Walk inside to experience its real beauty.
5. Museo de la Palabra y La Imagen
1.2 MILES
This innovative museum examines the history of El Salvador's civil war (1981–1992), beginning with the long-term context of the 1920s struggle for…
6. Hospital La Divina Providencia
2.32 MILES
Monseñor Romero was assassinated by government agents while giving Mass in the chapel here on March 24, 1980. You can tour his modest quarters, where his…
7. Museo Nacional de Antropología David J Guzmán
3.26 MILES
This worthwhile museum has an excellent range of Maya and Olmec (pre-Maya) statues and relics from ancient Cuscatlan, as well as Lenca artifacts from…
3.28 MILES
At Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (La UCA), the Centro Monseñor Romero pays homage to the martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero. Highly…