Parque Centro América is the central square of Quetzaltenango, known locally as Xela, in Guatemala. Historic buildings line its edges, including the church fronts and the municipal building, and benches and shade trees make it a good place to sit and watch the city. Food stalls and marimba music fill the evenings, and the park is open day and night. Start with the ornate facade of the Espíritu Santo church, then walk to the rotunda in the middle of the square.
From two parks to one square
The park was designed in the 19th century by the Italian architect Alberto Porta as two separate parks. A 1930s update combined them into the oblong shape you see today.
The most notable monument is a rotunda of Ionic columns, dedicated to the composer Rafael Álvarez Ovalle. In the centre of the square stands a pillar dedicated to Justo Rufino Barrios, a 19th-century president. His reforms moved land ownership from Maya peasants to coffee plantation owners, a history that many visitors now read alongside the monument.
The churches around the square
On the southeast side of the park is the Catedral Metropolitano de los Altos, which is made up of two churches.
Fronting the park is the ornate facade of the Catedral del Espíritu Santo. Earthquakes damaged the church, but its front still stands. It is all that remains of the city's original 16th-century baroque church.
In 1902 the eruption of Volcán Santa María destroyed almost the entire city. Many of the buildings you see around the square date from the years after that period.
Daily life and celebrations
Students from the city's universities and members of the Mayan population, some in traditional dress, cross the square side by side. Some men work here as shoe shiners.
Most of the city's public events take place in the square. Semana Santa, the Holy Week before Easter, is one of them. At Christmas, the square is decorated.
It is courteous to ask before photographing people in traditional dress.
What is in the park
The park has benches, shrubs, statues, a gazebo and plenty of greenery. Paths run through it, and there are picnic tables, a playground with swings and slides, and a basketball court.
The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and there is a public restroom. Dogs are allowed.
A market street runs alongside the park, so you can walk from the square straight into the stalls.
Perguntas frequentes
Is Parque Centro América open all day?
Yes. The park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
Is there a restroom in the park?
Yes, there is a public restroom.
Is the park wheelchair accessible?
The park entrance is wheelchair accessible.
Is the park good for children?
Yes. It has a playground with swings and slides, and it is listed as good for kids.
