Volcán de Agua
| Volcán de Agua | ||
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.jpg) Volcán de Agua with La Merced Church from Antigua Guatemala |
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| height | 3760 m | |
| location | Antigua Guatemala | |
| Coordinates | 14 ° 27 '53 " N , 90 ° 44' 35" W | |
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| Type | Stratovolcano | |
| rock | Basaltandesite , andesite | |
The Volcán de Agua (dt. "Water volcano") is a mid-16th century inactive stratovolcano near the city of Antigua Guatemala . Its height is 3760 m . The volcanic cone is symmetrical and heavily forested. It is located opposite the twin volcanoes Fuego and Acatenango . The volcanic complex is formed by basaltic andesitic deposits. Six small side craters are located on the northwest flank, two more on the south flank. The symmetrical profile of the volcano indicates a relatively young age, although no eruptions have been dated or known to date.
history
The name 'Agua' goes back to an environmental event in the 16th century. The crater of the volcano filled with water and finally shattered on September 11, 1541 under increasing pressure. The lahar (rubble and mud avalanche) destroyed the Guatemalan capital ( Ciudad Vieja ), which was founded a few years earlier by the Spanish conquerors. This catastrophe subsequently led to the founding of the new capital 'Antigua'.
photos
literature
- Volcán de Agua in the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian Institution (English)
