Cobblestone Street in Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala's streets retain the cobblestone paving laid during the Spanish colonial era, when the city served as the capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala from 1543 to 1773. A 1773 earthquake prompted the colonial government to relocate the capital to present-day Guatemala City, leaving Antigua's low-rise, single-story buildings largely intact. UNESCO designated the city's historic center a World Heritage Site in 1979, citing its well-preserved Spanish Baroque architecture and grid layout based on Renaissance urban planning principles. Many of the colorful facades along these streets house small hotels, shops, and residences within structures that date to the 16th through 18th centuries. The Volcán de Agua, visible beyond the rooftops, has served as a geographic reference point for the city since its founding.

Photo taken in February 2020.