Cathedral

The Cathedral of the city of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala in Panchoy Valley was built in 1542. Due to the simplicity of its construction, it was damaged by the earthquakes of 1583. In 1669 the construction of a greater and more complex cathedral was begun, and eventually it was inaugurated in the year 1680. The building contained: seven entrance doors, five naves, seventy-eight arches, eighteen chapels, a main sacristy and a sala capitular (main chamber) Visit the "ruins sector" to appreciate the vestige of this magnificent building. You may enter through the lateral south gate on 5 th Calle. As the rest of the city, the cathedral suffered damage caused by the earthquakes of 1717 and 1751. Even though the damages were repaired, the structures succumbed during the earthquake of 1773, after which it was necessary to abandon the building. It was not until the XIX century that it was again inaugurated. Only the area corresponding to the sacrarium, to house the Parroquia de San José , remains today. The façade that may be observed today is not the one of the great Catedral de Santiago as mentioned above, as it underwent many reconstructions. Nevertheless, and still important, the actual facade shows the artistic richness in the use of imagery. You can see the Virgen de la Asunción , Santiago Apóstol (Protector of the City), Padre Eterno (Eternal Father), the Doce Apóstoles (Twelve Apostles), four Padres de la Iglesia (Church Fathers), as well as the Protectoral Coat of Arms and a shell crossed by swords (a symbol of the Holy Protector).