Cuilapa

Cuilapa on the map of Guatemala

Cuilapa is a city in Guatemala and the administrative center of the department of Santa Rosa and the greater community ( municipality ) Cuilapa, which extends to 365 km ² and 25,000 inhabitants.

Location and climate

The city is located about 50 km southeast of Guatemala City in the southern foothills of the central highlands to 893 m altitude. Cuilapa is the geographic center of the Americas, what in the city center is a memorial. You can reach Cuilapa from Guatemala City on the Interamerican Highway (CA 1 ) to El Salvador. The climate is temperate in Cuilapa, the temperatures range 20 to 28 ° C.

Economy and Tourism

Traditionally most important economic sector is agriculture Cuilapas and especially the cultivation of coffee, sugar cane, wheat and various citrus fruits. In addition, the cattle and horse breeding is important.

Tourism plays only a minor role. Worth the four kilometers away from the city, in 1592 built bridge over the Río de Los Esclavos.

History

Before the arrival of the Spaniards settled in the area of the present town of Cuilapa members of the Xinca. These were subjected and enslaved what today remembers the name of the river Río Esclavos and an eponymous place southeast of Cuilapa. To 1600 at the site of the present city was a village, which had been given by Mexican mercenaries the name Cuajiniquilapa. 1791, the city was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake. After independence from Spain in 1825 Cuilapa was the seat of a district administration, then in 1852 the capital of the newly established departments of Santa Rosa.

On March 8, 1913 earthquake destroyed the city again, but the citizens they built until October 1920 and completely.