Guatemala City: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Kaminaljuyú, one of the first important cities in the Mayan region, flourished in what is now the western part of Guatemala City from about 400 BC to AD 100 - it contained thousands of inhabitants and scores of temples built on earth mounds. Scant remains of that original civilization can still be seen today, but most of the mounds have been swallowed up by urban sprawl.

The city fell into ruin before being reoccupied around AD 400 by invaders from Teotihuacán in central Mexico. It was rebuilt in Teotihuacán's talud-tablero style, with buildings stepped in alternating vertical (tablero) and sloping (talud) sections.

By the time Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century, only overgrown mounds remained. With the Spanish choosing to make their colonial capital at Antigua, the site remained insignificant until the earthquake of July 29, 1773, which destroyed much of Antigua. The authorities decided to move their headquarters to La Ermita valley, hoping to escape future destruction. On September 27, 1775, King Carlos III of Spain signed a royal charter for the founding of La Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción. Guatemala City was officially born.

Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821 and, two years later, led the formation of the short-lived United Provinces of Central America.

Modern History

The colonial powers hadn't moved the capital far enough - devastating earthquakes rocked Guatemala City during the 20th century. Earthquakes in 1917 and 1918 reduced buildings to rubble, but these paled into insignificance to the 1976 quake which killed nearly 23,000 people, injured another 75,000 and left an estimated one million homeless.

As the political and commercial nucleus of Guatemala, 'Guate' was at the forefront of the turbulent events of the 20th century. The most significant of these were the dictatorial governments of Estrada Cabrera and Jorge Ubico, and the six-year rule of Juan José Arévalo who established the nation's social-security system, a modern public health system and survived 25 coup attempts by conservative military forces. He was succeeded by Colonel Jacobo Arbenz.

In the 60's and 70's, Guatemalan industry developed fast, but the social fabric became increasingly stressed. Most profits from the boom flowed upward, labor unions were organized, and migration to the capital produced urban sprawl and slums. A cycle of violent repression and protest took hold, leading to the total politicization of society.

Following decades of violence and civil war, Peace Accords were signed at the National Palace in 1996, though the new democracy remained tenuous.

Recent History

With a population of over three million, Guatemala is the largest city in Central America and continues to grow as displaced rural poor migrate to the capital.

In 2003, former farmer and Mayor of Guatemala City, Oscar Berger, was elected president on a platform of reducing crime and poverty, and implementing the Peace Accord. Although overburdened and suffering a high crime rate, the city is in the best shape it has been in for years and a visit to the restaurants and bars of upscale Zona Viva can be a pleasant surprise. Modern high-rise buildings and shopping centers are now a part of the landscape.

In 2007 the first stage of the Transmetro, a mass rapid transport bus system, was opened to help curb the city's traffic problems.

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