Sights in Managua
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Huellas de Acahualinca
Discovered by miners in 1874, the Footprints of Acahualinca are perhaps Managua's most intriguing site, and shouldn't be missed. These fossilized tracks record the passage of perhaps 10 people - men, women and children as well as birds, raccoons and deer - across the muddy shores of Lago de Managua some 6000 years ago.
Despite early speculation that they were running from a volcanic eruption, forensic specialists have determined that these folks were in no hurry and, oddly enough, were fairly tall, between 145cm and 160cm. The excavation was undertaken by the Carnegie Foundation in 1941 and 1942, and unearthed 14 layers (4m/13ft) of earth. About 2 metres (6.5ft) down, the…
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Palacio Nacional de la Cultura
Adjacent to the Old Cathedral, the 1935 Palacio Nacional de la Cultura houses the Museo Nacional. The timeline starts only 500 million years ago, as Nicaragua is one of the newest places on earth, and takes visitors through the formation of the lakes and volcanoes - not to mention gold mines - before getting to pre-Columbian statuary and one of the best pottery collections in the country, all well signed and explained.
Other exhibits whiz through the Spanish colonial period before landing in the Sandino, then Sandinista, eras. Above the main staircase is a mural of revolutionary movements in the Americas by Mexican artist Arnold Belkin, and there's also a room tracing 500…
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Parque Histórico Nacional Loma de Tiscapa
Home to what's easily Managua's most recognizable landmark, Sandino's sombre silhouette, this national historic park was once the site of the Presidential Palace where Sandino and his men were executed in 1934. You can see the silhouette, hastily erected by the departing FSLN government in 1990, from almost anywhere in town.
What looks like a dilapidated parking structure was for decades one of Nicaragua's most notorious prisons. You'll also pass Monumento Roosevelt, constructed in 1939 with lovely lake views, which is today a memorial to those killed in the revolution.
The top of the hill is actually the lip of Volcán Tiscapa's beautiful little crater lake, with incredib…
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Monumento a Rubén Darío
On the lake side of Plaza de la República, the Monumento a Rubén Darío was recently refurbished after the original 1933 statue fell into graffitied disrepair. A group of artists did a guerrilla installation, veiling the city's shame from public view and demanding poetic justice. In 1998 the cash-strapped government bowed to public opinion and, with Texaco Oil's help, restored the likeness of Nicaragua's favorite son. Toward the lake is the oblong Teatro Nacional Rubén Darío.
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Xolotlán
The malecón is a bit depressing on off days, especially if you're pondering almost beautiful Lago de Managua, more properly known as Xolotlán, since 1927 one of the most polluted bodies of water in Central America. Foreign governments are helping clean it up, and in the meantime families turn out on Sundays and partiers on weekend evenings, not to swim but to enjoy the quirky collection of seaside kiosks, and the rickety theme park rides at the west end of the complex.
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Zona Monumental
This quiet collection of pre-earthquake and postrevolutionary monuments, pretty parks, museums and government offices was once the pulsing heart of Managua; the malecón(pier), a pleasant stroll from the Zona Monumental, once overlooked a living lake lined with restaurants and festivities. Then came the 1972 earthquake, and two decades of war and privation, and the center was all but abandoned.
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Arboretum Nacional
Opened in 1990 with the aim of raising local environmental awareness, the arboretum features more than 200 species of plants divided into Nicaragua's five major life zones. Only the Dry Tropical Forest and Central Lowlands exhibits look happy; that was one sad coffee plant. Look out for the madriño, the national tree, and the sacuanjoche, the national flower.
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Parque de la Paz
The 1990 Peace Park is one of Managua's most interesting monuments. Its reflection pool is empty and the light rarely shines, but what remains are weapons - machine guns, pistols, even a tank - forever encased in concrete by former President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro. Sort of Mad Max meets Rollerball, it's not pretty or comfortable, but is worth seeing.
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Universidad Centro America
Founded in 1960 as a Jesuit school, this is one of Nicaragua's premier universities, with a science and alternative-technology-heavy curriculum, Che Guevara sculptures and vegetarian eateries out front. Worth a wander, in particular the Centro Historia Militar, with relics from Sandino to the Sandinistas, if you're beginning to worry that the revolution is over.
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Old Cathedral
The hollow shell of Managua's Old Cathedral remains Managua's most poignant metaphor, shattered by the 1972 earthquake and, despite promises, never restored. Though still beautiful and serene, attended by stone angels and dappled in golden light, it is empty and off-limits; the cathedral without a heart, in the city without a center.
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Plaza de la Fé Juan Pablo II
Plaza de la Fé Juan Pablo II commemorates Pope John Paul II's appearances here in 1983 and 1996. On a little hill opposite is the ranchito (open-sided, thatch-roofed hut) that sheltered John Paul as he spoke to the masses of Nicaraguans assembled in the vacant lot now occupied by the plaza.
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Galería Códice
Besides being the hippest progressive art exhibition space in the country, Galería Códice's mix of openings, unusual performances and other offbeat offerings make it the place to hook up with Managua's creative elite.
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Monumento Roosevelt
Acsending Loma de Tiscapa from Crowne Plaza, you'll pass Monumento Roosevelt, constructed in 1939. With lovely lake views, today it's a memorial to those killed in the revolution.
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Casa Presidencial
The brand-new Casa Presidencial, the offices (but not home) of the current president, were rebuilt during the Alemán years with the help of the Taiwanese government.
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Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua
The Managua branch of Nicaragua's oldest university (the original is in León, the former capital) was founded in 1958 and has more than 24,000 students.
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Nueva Catedral
Just north of Metrocentro Mall is an unforgettable Managua landmark and the hemisphere's newest Nueva Catedral, an architectural marvel that leaves most visitors, well, scratching their heads. It's not a mosque, really: the 63 cupolas (or breasts, or eggs; speculation continues) symbolize Nicaragua's 63 Catholic churches, and also provide structural support during earthquakes - a good thing, since it sits astride a fault line.
The interior is cool, heartfelt and unspectacular, although the shrine on the northwest side is nice. Of the US$45 million used to construct the cathedral, US$3.5 million was donated by avid pro-Lifer Tom Monaghan, owner of Domino's Pizza.
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