Zunil
| Zunil | |
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Coordinates: 14 ° 47 ′ N , 91 ° 29 ′ W
Zunil on the map of Guatemala
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| Basic data | |
| Country | Guatemala |
| Department | Quetzaltenango |
| Residents | 12,000 |
| - in the metropolitan area | 20,000 |
| Detailed data | |
| surface | 92 km 2 |
| Population density | 130 inhabitants / km 2 |
| height | 2076 m |
| Time zone | UTC −6 |
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Zunil is a small town with around 12,500 inhabitants in the Quetzaltenango department in western Guatemala . The place is predominantly inhabited by members of the Quiché tribal group; the main languages are Quiché (82%) and Spanish (18%).
location
Zunil is about 10 km southeast of Quetzaltenango at an altitude of about 2,000 m above sea level. d. M. The city itself is on a slope; The Salamá River flows in the valley and is used to irrigate the fields on its banks. There are 3 volcanic mountains in the wider area: Santo Tomas , Santa María and Santiaguito . In the near and far surroundings of Zunil there are several thermal baths that are fed from hot underground springs.
history
It is unclear whether the place already existed in pre-Columbian times; In any case, no ruins or other artifacts have been found so far. During the colonial period, several mines were driven into the surrounding mountains to mine sulfur , iron ore and mercury . The place achieved a certain prosperity, which is also reflected in the comparatively large church with one of the most beautiful facades in Guatemala.
On October 12, 2011, mudslides in the vicinity of Zunil caused severe damage to houses, shops, cars and fields and claimed many lives - triggered by days of heavy rainfall.
Attractions
- The whitewashed facade of the Santa-Catalina church, framed by two side towers to stabilize it, is richly designed and shows four double-storey twisted pairs of columns , which are also known as 'Solomonic columns' - these are more common in the Spanish colonial baroque of Central and South America; here they are also covered with tendrils . In between there are niches with figures of saints who are regarded as members of the Franciscan order; Francis of Assisi himself is on the far left in the lower row - a bird is sitting on his head. The church patroness can also be seen on the upper level. The side towers, on the other hand, are completely unadorned in their lower part, as is usual in the colonial baroque; only at the point pierced by windows does an abstract, vegetal arabesque decor appear - as in the middle section . The church facade closes with a three-dimensional bell gable framed by baroque volutes . The single nave, elongated interior ends in a choir covered by a dome .
- A visit to the local saint Maximón should not be missed, even if tourists are asked to pay for admission and photos.
Others
An impact crater on Mars is named after the town of Zunil; it is possibly the origin of some Martian meteorites .
Individual evidence
literature
- Wolfgang Gockel : Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. DuMont, Cologne 1999, pp. 172f, ISBN 3-7701-4732-4 .
