Just off the park's southwest corner, the 19th-century former Convent of Bethlehem now houses Xela's premier cultural center. Besides photo and art exhibits, it stages anything from poetry festivals to marimba recitals to archaeology conferences, and it occasionally hosts internationally acclaimed artists and literary figures. Regional food festivals take place here on Sundays. Check the blog for upcoming events.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.3 MILES
A former coffee plantation being reclaimed by natural vegetation, this reserve is 200m past the Hotel Atitlán on the northern outskirts of town. It makes…
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28.24 MILES
Some villagers still walk for hours carrying their wares to reach Chichi's market, one of Guatemala's largest and a highlight of many people's trips to…
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25.07 MILES
Overflowing with art by Guatemalan painters and sculptors, this gallery functions as both an exhibit space and cultural center, hosting lectures, films…
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28.25 MILES
This church on the plaza's east side dates from 1540 and is often the scene of rituals that are more distinctly Maya than Catholic. Inside, the floor of…
26.71 MILES
The ruins of the ancient K'iche' Maya capital of K'umarcaaj remain a sacred site for the Maya, and contemporary rituals are customarily enacted here…
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27.94 MILES
On a hilltop south of town, Pascual Abaj (Sacrifice Stone) is a shrine to the Maya earth god Huyup Tak'ah (Mountain Plain). A stone-faced idol stands amid…
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Centro Intercultural de Quetzaltenango
0.88 MILES
Quetzaltenango's railroad station, 1km east of the Templo de Minerva along 4a Calle, lay dormant for many years until the city converted it into this…
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0.05 MILES
Most of Xela's sights crowd in and around the broad central plaza. It's a great place for a stroll or to sit and people-watch. It was originally two…
Nearby Quetzaltenango attractions
0.03 MILES
The natural history museum holds a hodgepodge of Maya artifacts, vintage photos, dried leaves, old coins, marimbas, sports trophies, stuffed mammals and…
0.05 MILES
Most of Xela's sights crowd in and around the broad central plaza. It's a great place for a stroll or to sit and people-watch. It was originally two…
0.06 MILES
The ornately carved facade of the Iglesia del Espíritu Santo marks the site of the original 1532 construction, which was pulverized by the quakes of 1853…
0.07 MILES
The Municipalidad, at the northeastern end of the park, was rebuilt after the 1902 earthquake in the grandiose neoclassical style so favored as a symbol…
0.09 MILES
A neoclassical structure near the northeast corner of Parque Centro América, the Edificio Rivera has been handsomely renovated (complete with fast-food…
0.5 MILES
The church that lends its name to the neighborhood west of the center was built four centuries ago on a rise to avoid Xela's periodic flooding. Check out…
0.84 MILES
The Altiplano's signature instrument is given pride of place at the center of this iconic traffic circle on the east end of town.
8. Museo del Ferrocarril de los Altos
0.88 MILES
This museum covers the ambitious rail project that connected Quetzaltenango to the Pacific coast but operated for just three years, from 1930 to 1933…