• United States!

    United States: Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Go Now!

    United States
    Explore the vast openness and wildlife found roaming in the western United States, including Theodore Roosevelt National Park (pictured) in North Dakota. Begin Your Journey!

  • Trinidad & Tobago!

    Trinidad & Tobago: Beautiful Coastline. Go Now!

    Trinidad & Tobago
    These Caribbean islands mix Indian, African, and European cultures alongside beautiful beaches. Go Now!

  • St. Kitts & Nevis!

    St. Kitts & Nevis: Nevis Island. Go Now!

    St. Kitts & Nevis
    This island nation mixes aspects of European, African, and Caribbean culture... not to mention incredible beaches. Go Now!

  • Honduras!

    Honduras: Children. Go Now!

    Honduras
    The original banana republic, Honduras has made a name for itself with the banana trade; however foreign influences have also vastly altered the culture. Go Now!

  • Mexico!

    Mexico: Sunrise over the mountains in Puerto Vallarta. Go Now!

    Mexico
    Although many people just go for the beaches, Mexico offers impressive mountain vistas (pictured in Puerto Vallarta), great food, and historic ruins that compete with the best in the world. Begin Your Journey!

  • Barbados!

    Barbados: Pier on the beach. Go Now!

    Barbados
    This Caribbean island has hints of British culture, but is wholly Caribbean as well. Explore Barbados!

Architecture of Guatemala

Guatemalan Architecture - Tikal
Tikal

Guatemala's earliest architecture is still in excellent condition as the Mayans left behind one of their greatest monuments in the city of Tikal. This city in the jungle was one of the Mayan Empire's greatest cities and to this day is a great example of Mayan architecture as well as a popular tourist destination. Other than this city and numerous smaller Mayan ruins in the country, there is little pre-Columbian architecture in the country as most early architecture was made from wood and has not lasted.

Guatemalan Architecture - Capuchin Monastery
Capuchin Monastery

The Spanish arrived in the 1500s and they immediately developed new architectural styles and city planning. Their houses were built primarily from adobe, which the indigenous people used before Spanish arrival, and Spanish churches were generally in the style of churches built in Spain at the time. Most noticeably though is the urban planning the Spanish implemented as nearly every colonial city is on a grid pattern with a central square dominated by a church and government buildings. The most developed colonial Spanish city is probably the capital of Guatemala City and the National Palace on the central square is perhaps the finest colonial building in the country.

Today new techniques and materials have further altered the architecture in the country, but the capital has received most of these new developments in limited numbers and few other cities have greatly developed the modern or post-modern styles.

This page was last updated: March, 2013