Guatemala_City

Guatemala City (Spanish: Ciudad de Guatemala), formally New Guatemala of Assumption and the Ancient (Spanish: Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción y la Antigua), known locally as Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, nestled in a mountain valley called Valle de la Ermita (English: Hermitage Valley). The city is also the capital of the Guatemala Department.
Guatemala City is the site of the Mayan city of Kaminaljuyu, founded around 1500 BC. Following an earthquake in La Antigua in 1776 it was made capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala. In 1821, Guatemala City was the scene of the declaration of independence of Central America from Spain, after which it became the capital of the newly established United Provinces of Central America (later the Federal Republic of Central America).In 1847, Guatemala declared itself an independent republic, with Guatemala City as its capital. The capital was originally located in what is now Antigua Guatemala, and was moved to its current location in 1776.Guatemala City and the original location in Antigua Guatemala were almost completely destroyed by the 1917–18 earthquakes. Reconstructions following the earthquakes have resulted in a more modern architectural landscape. Today, Guatemala City is the political, cultural, and economic center of Guatemala.