Santa Catalina Arch, Antigua

Santa Catalina Arch, Antigua (must see)

The Santa Catalina Arch is the most iconic landmark in Antigua Guatemala. Built in 1694 and located on 5th Avenue North, it originally connected the Santa Catalina Convent to a school on the other side of the street. At the time the cloistered nuns lived in the Santa Catalina Convent while they taught at the school during the day.

However there was a dilemma. The cloistered nuns had to avoid all contact with the outside world so they could not simply walk across a busy street to reach the school. To solve the problem, an arch above the street was built to connect the convent and the school. Within the arch there is a hidden passageway enabling the nuns to cross the street without being seen in public. It was an ingenious idea that worked perfectly!

The arch has suffered damage over the years, especially during the catastrophic earthquake of 1773. But miraculously, it has survived and it is now a symbol of the city鈥檚 resilience. A clock was added to the top of the arch in the era of the Central American Federation in the 1830s and it needs to be wound every three days.

Today, the Santa Catalina Arch is the most famous city monument and easily the most photographed.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Antigua. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Santa Catalina Arch
Sight Location: Antigua, Guatemala (See walking tours in Antigua)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Antigua Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Antigua, Guatemala

Create Your Own Walk in Antigua

Creating your own self-guided walk in Antigua is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Ancient Ruins of Antigua

In places like Antigua Guatemala, it feels as if a time machine has already been invented. This glorious ancient town breathes history in all its streets, houses, fountains, and courtyards, but above all the great ruins, which are impossible to miss against the impressive backdrop of Agua Volcano. The latter is responsible for these ruins in the first place, having caused a series of earthquakes... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles

Antigua Museums

A combination of Spanish colonialism and Mayan culture has given rise to a wealth of heritage in Guatemala. The evidence of this is particularly visible in Antigua, a small town yet fascinating place to visit in Latin America. The local museums are well worth exploring for anyone wishing to learn about the country's history in general and some of its aspects in particular.

The Casa Santo... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles

Antigua Introduction Walking Tour

Antigua, Guatemala, which is sometimes known as La Antigua, dates back to 1543. This city was the third capital of the Spanish colony. Surrounded by volcanoes, the city of Antigua is a small yet very picturesque example of Spanish colonial architecture. Jesuit and Franciscan orders have had a presence in this region since the 17th century, contributing to its rich colonial religious life.

The... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles

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