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Travel west from Guatemala City or north from Antigua and all roads will head to Chimaltenango. This town, while much smaller than the capitol city, is a large busy place. With nearly 35,000 inhabitants, Chimaltenango is one of the larger mid-size cities in Guatemala. It’s importance lies as much in the fact of it’s location as it does in what comes from the town itself. Chimaltenango lies on the main route from Guatemala City and Antigua to towns such as Panajachel, Chichicastenango, and Quetzaltenango. Travelers from all over pass through this town on a daily basis.
Chimaltenango is situated on a mountain plateau just over a mile in elevation (5810 ft.) Although temperatures may feel mild for those not accustomed to the tropical region, residents describe their climate as a cold one. With temperatures dipping into the 50’s on a regular basis throughout the year, it is not uncommon to see babies and children in warm clothes throughout the year.
Chimaltenango was established in the early 1500’s and rose in stature among the cities in Guatemala throughout its history. In 1626 General Thomas Gage visited Guatemala and remarked that Chimaltenango was one of the greatest cities he has visited for its variance of retailers, its sport, and its excellent music.
The name Chimaltenango comes from the Mexican dialect called Chimalli. The word is roughly translated “shield.” When the Spanish arrived and built this city up, the town seat had shields lining the walls of the interior. The name literally means “place walled with shields” according to historian Victor Miguel Diaz.
Chimaltenango has been affected by multiple earthquakes throughout it’s history. The most recent one was a 7.5 magnitude quake that killed over 1100 people and injured more than 3000. Earthquakes are not uncommon in Guatemala and especially in the southern region. Chimaltenango has been hit with earthquakes as well as destruction from volcanic fire in 1773.
The economy of Chimaltenango is greatly supported by artisans who travel to the capitol city to sell their crafts on a daily basis. The local government does what it can to help these efforts. The other predominant work in Chimaltenango is working for the public works department. There are many other smaller segments of the economy but these two comprise more than 80% of Chimaltenango’s employment.
Along with the majority of Guatemala, the Chimaltenango calendar is built around celebrating the religous holidays. In December especially you will find the Day of the Kings celebrating the Three Kings of Christmas time. There are other processionals throughout the year that bring work in the town to a halt such as Easter, Day of Corpus Christi, Day of The Virgin, etc.
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Sources:
www.fallingrain.com
www.prensalibre.com
www.inforpressca.com/chimaltenango/
www.kioskonet.net
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Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Chimaltenango, Chimaltenango
