Rabinal

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Rabinal
Coordinates: 15 ° 6 ′  N , 90 ° 30 ′  W
Map: Guatemala
marker
Rabinal​
Rabinal on the map of Guatemala
Basic data
Country Guatemala
Department Baja Verapaz
City foundation 1537
Residents 45,000  (2002)
City insignia
Flag of Guatemala.svg
Detailed data
surface 304 km 2
Population density 148 inhabitants / km 2
Waters Río Sajcap
Post Code 15003
Time zone UTC −6
City patron San Pablo (festival: January 25th)
From the civil war
From the civil war

Rabinal is a small town in Guatemala . Rabinal is located in the center of the Baja Verapaz department and is the administrative seat of the large municipality of the same name ( Municipio ), which covers 304 km² and has around 45,000 inhabitants. Most of the local population is of Maya descent.

history

Rabinal was founded in 1537 by the Dominican Bartolomé de Las Casas as a Spanish mission in a very remote area. In 1572 the construction of the baroque cathedral was completed. Rabinal gained a certain importance because it was due to the direct connection from Guatemala City to Cobán and Peten , which was important at the time . In the middle of the 19th century, the French ethnologist Charles Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg worked here , who made a special contribution to understanding the local Mayan culture. During the Guatemalan Civil War , Rabinal was the scene of fierce fighting between the left-wing guerrilla movement and the army on several occasions . Several massacres of civilians accused of supporting the guerrilla movement took place here, particularly in 1982. Another reason for these crimes, people that spot some with violence against the then still remaining in planning reservoir of Chixoy resisted.

Economy and Transport

The people in Rabinal and the surrounding area live mainly from agriculture. Rabinal is known for its pottery and the artistic painting of their products. Due to the city's outskirts, tourism is very little developed. In terms of traffic, Rabinal is connected to the Atlantic route (CA 9) and thus to Guatemala City via Salamá and El Rancho . However, there is also an old direct connection from Guatemala City via San Juan Sacatepéquez , Montúfar, Granados and Santa Cruz El Chol to Rabinal ( Ruta Nacional 5 ). However, this old direct connection between Guatemala City and Peten is only partially asphalted and extremely winding in this section, especially between Montúfar and Rabinal. In the dry season, it can also be used as an alternative connection between Baja Verapaz and Guatemala by car . Allow around five hours of travel time for this route from Guatemala City to Rabinal.

Attractions

In addition to the cathedral, the city museum is also worth seeing. It has a collection of items and tools from the local Mayan culture. In one area there is documentation about the civil war and the crimes that took place in the Rabinal area. In the vicinity of Rabinal there are several archaeological sites, in which the way of life of the Achí -Maya of the classical era can be traced.

Rabinal is also known for its fiesta patronal , which is celebrated every year at the end of January, as well as for the reenactment of a legendary conflict between Achí -Maya and the Quiché -Maya. This spectacle, known as the Rab'inal Achí ballet , has been declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO .

See also

Web links