The hollow shell of Managua’s Old Cathedral remains Managua’s most poignant metaphor, shattered by the 1972 earthquake – and slowly undergoing restoration. Though its neoclassical facade is beautiful and serene, attended by stone angels and dappled in golden light, its interior is empty and off-limits: a cathedral without a heart in a city without a center.
Antigua Catedral
Top choice in Managua
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
13.96 MILES
Described by the Spaniards as the gates of hell, the craters that comprise Volcán Masaya National Park are the most easily accessible active volcanoes in…
Convento y Museo San Francisco
26.54 MILES
One of the oldest churches in Central America, Convento San Francisco boasts a robin's egg–blue birthday-cake facade and houses both an important convent…
Museo Arqueológico Huellas de Acahualinca
1.57 MILES
Discovered by miners in 1874, these fossilized tracks record the passage of perhaps 10 people – men, women and children – as well as birds, raccoons, deer…
26.4 MILES
Granada's new chocolate museum is excellent if you're traveling with children: the 'beans to bar' chocolate workshop, where participants learn to roast…
26.41 MILES
Perhaps the most beautiful church in the city, this landmark was built in 1534. Most come here for the spectacular views from the bell tower – especially…
Reserva Natural Volcán Momotombo
25.71 MILES
The perfect cone of Volcán Momotombo, destroyer of León Viejo and inspiration for its own Rubén Darío poem, rises red and black 1280m above Lago de…
Reserva Natural Chocoyero-El Brujo
12.21 MILES
This 184-hectare natural reserve, 30km outside Managua, is a small wilderness enclave within easy reach of the capital. Imagine: a hardwood forest, dense…
28.85 MILES
Buried and lost for over 300 years, this was Nicaragua’s first capital – a rough-and-ready settlement that some say was doomed from the start. Founded in…
Nearby Managua attractions
0.07 MILES
Inside the Palacio de la Cultura y Biblioteca Nacional, the beautiful national museum is an enjoyable romp through the country's history – from Nicaragua…
2. Palacio de la Cultura y Biblioteca Nacional
0.07 MILES
The 1930s-era Palacio de la Cultura (Palace of Culture) housed the National Congress until 1994. The historic building now houses the national museum and…
0.07 MILES
This was rebuilt during the Alemán years with the help of the Taiwanese government, and is now home to the controversial Consejos de Poder Ciudadano (CPCs…
0.08 MILES
Inaugurated in 1899 by national hero and original anti-American General José Santos Zelaya, this open plaza has been the scene of countless protests,…
0.08 MILES
The tomb of Carlos Fonseca, founder of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). He was killed fighting Nicaraguan National Guard forces loyal to…
0.11 MILES
On the lake side of Plaza de la Revolución, this monument was refurbished after the original 1933 statue fell into graffitied disrepair. A group of…
7. Monumento al Trabajador Nicaragüense
0.14 MILES
A monument to Nicaraguan workers – a man and a woman, taking part in manual labour.