Estanzuela

Estanzuela on the map of Guatemala

Estanzuela is a place and a municipality in the department of Zacapa in Guatemala.

Estanzuela is located 141 km north-east of Guatemala City on the Highway CA 10 9 branches off to the south at Rio Hondo from the Atlantic Highway CA. Zacapa, the capital of the department lies about 5 km south east of Estanzuela.

The 66 km ² large municipality located in the valley of the Río Motagua to almost 200 m. It has about 12,000 inhabitants, of whom the majority are Ladinos. The municipality is next to the main town Estanzuela from the " rural communities " ( Aldeas ) Chispan, El Guayabal, San Nicolás and Tres Pinos. Main economic activities are agriculture, craft and service sectors. In Estanzuela there is an interesting Museum of Paleontology.

Adjacent Municipalities are Río Hondo on the north, Zacapa the east and southeast, the southwest and Huité Teculutan in the West.

History

The name is derived etymologically from Estanzuela from the Spanish word Estancia, which (also) means resting place. Spanish settlers wanted to insert here in 1740 on his way to the West a pause, then settled but definitely at the place down. 1769 saw the Spanish crown to the village under its present name, after independence, it was in 1825 raised to the municipality.