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Quetzaltenango (, also known by its Maya name Xelajú or Xela ) is both the seat of the namesake Department and municipality, in
Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
.
The city is located in a mountain valley at an elevation of above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''.
The comb ...
at its lowest part. It may reach above within the city.
The Municipality of Quetzaltenango consists of an area of . Municipalities abutting the municipality of Quetzaltenango include Salcajá
Salcajá is a town and municipality in Quetzaltenango department of Guatemala.
Salcajá is best known for the Church of San Jacinto, founded in 1524, which was the first church built in Central America since it was one of the first places invade ...
, Cantel, Almolonga
The Almolonga volcano, also called "Cerro Quemado" (Burned Mountain) or "La Muela" (The Molar) due to its distinct shape, is an andesitic stratovolcano in the south-western department of Quetzaltenango in Guatemala. The volcano is located near ...
, Zunil
Zunil () is a town and municipality in the Quetzaltenango department of Guatemala with a surface area of .El Palmar, Concepción Chiquirichapa, San Mateo, La Esperanza, and Olintepeque in Quetzaltenango department and
In Pre-Columbian times Quetzaltenango was a city of the 
From 1838 to 1840 Quetzaltenango was the capital of the state of Los Altos, Central America, Los Altos, one of the states or provinces of the Federal Republic of Central America. As the union broke up, the army of Rafael Carrera conquered Quetzaltenango making it part of Guatemala. In 1850, the city had a population of approximately 20,000.
During the 19th century, coffee was introduced as a major crop in the area. As a result, the economy of Xela prospered. Much fine Belle Époque architecture can still be found in the city.
On October 24, 1902, at 5:00 pm, the Santa María (volcano), Santa María Volcano erupted. Rocks and ash fell on Quetzaltenango at 6 PM, only one hour after the eruption.
In the 1920s, a young Romani people, Romani woman named Vanushka Cardena Barajas died and was buried in the Xela city cemetery. An active legend has developed around her tomb that says those who bring flowers or write a request on her tomb will be reunited with their former romantic partners. The Guatemalan songwriter Alvaro Aguilar wrote a song based on this legend.
In 1930 the only electric railway in Guatemala, the ''Ferrocarril de Los Altos'', was inaugurated. It was built by AEG and Krupp and had 14 train cars. The track connected Quetzaltenango with San Felipe, Retalhuleu, San Felipe, Retalhuleu. It was soon destroyed by mudslides and finally demolished in 1933. The people of Quetzaltenango are still very proud of the railway. A List of railway museums, railway museum has been established in the city center.
Since the late 1990s Quetzaltenango has been having an economic boom, which makes it the city with the second-highest contribution to the Guatemalan economy. With its first high-rise buildings being built, it is expected by 2015 to have a more prominent skyline, with buildings up to 15 floors tall.
In 2008, the Central American Congress PARLACEN stated that every September 15, Quetzaltenango will be Central America's capital of culture.
Quetzaltenango was supposed to host 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games but dropped out due to a lack of funding for the event.
In March 2022, indigenous activists began blockading the central waste deposit near Valle de Palajunoj to protest a :es:Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial, city development plan enacted by the municipal authorities in June 2017.
According to Köppen climate classification, Quetzaltenango features a Oceanic climate#Subtropical highland variety (Cwb), subtropical highland climate (''Cwb''). In general, the climate in Quetzaltenango can go from mild to chilly, with occasional sporadic warm episodes. The daily high is usually reached around noon. From then on, temperatures decrease exceptionally fast. The city is quite dry, except during the rainy season. Quetzaltenango is the coolest major city in Guatemala.
There are two main seasons in Quetzaltenango (as in all of Guatemala); the rainy season, which generally runs from late May through late October, and the dry season, which runs from early November until April. During the rainy season, rain falls consistently, usually in the afternoons, but there are occasions in which it rains all day long or at least during the morning. During the dry season, the city frequently will not receive a single drop of rain for months on end.
The coldest months are November through February, with minimum temperatures averaging , and maximum temperatures averaging . The warmest months are March through July, with minimum temperatures averaging and maximum temperatures averaging . Yearly, the average low is and the average high is .
The city has a system of micro-buses for quick and cheap movement. A micro-bus is essentially a large van stuffed with seats. Micro-buses are numbered based on the route they take (e.g., "''Ruta 7''"). There is no government-run mass transport system in the city. The sole public means of transport is the bus or micro-buses. Transportation to other cities is provided by bus. Bicycling is a way to get around and to travel to (and in) rural areas. Quetzaltenango Airport provides air service to the city.
San Andrés Xecul
San Andrés Xecul () is a town, with a population of 15,074 (2018 census),Citypopulation.de
Population of citi ...
in Population of citi ...
Totonicapán
Totonicapán is a city in Guatemala. It serves as the capital of the department of Totonicapán and as the administrative seat for the surrounding municipality of Totonicapán.
History
In 1838 Totonicapam was declared an independent republic ...
department.
History
In Pre-Columbian times Quetzaltenango was a city of the Mam
Mam or MAM may refer to:
Places
* An Mám or Maum, a settlement in Ireland
* General Servando Canales International Airport in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (IATA Code: MAM)
* Isle of Mam, a phantom island
* Mam Tor, a hill near Castleton in t ...
Maya people called Xelajú, although by the time of the Spanish Conquest it had become part of the K'iche' Kingdom of Q'umarkaj. The name may be derived from ''xe laju' noj'' meaning "under ten mountains". The city was said to have already been over 300 years old when the Spanish first arrived. With the help of his allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
, Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado defeated and killed the Maya ruler Tecún Umán here.
When Alvarado conquered the city for Spain in the 1520s, he called it by the Nahuatl name used by his Central Mexican Indian allies, "Quetzaltenango", generally considered to mean "the place of the Resplendent quetzal, quetzal bird." Quetzaltenango became the city's official name in colonial times. However, many people (especially the indigenous population) continue to call the city "Xelajú" or more commonly "Xela" for short, and some proudly, but unofficially, consider it the "capital of the Mayas".
From 1838 to 1840 Quetzaltenango was the capital of the state of Los Altos, Central America, Los Altos, one of the states or provinces of the Federal Republic of Central America. As the union broke up, the army of Rafael Carrera conquered Quetzaltenango making it part of Guatemala. In 1850, the city had a population of approximately 20,000.
During the 19th century, coffee was introduced as a major crop in the area. As a result, the economy of Xela prospered. Much fine Belle Époque architecture can still be found in the city.
On October 24, 1902, at 5:00 pm, the Santa María (volcano), Santa María Volcano erupted. Rocks and ash fell on Quetzaltenango at 6 PM, only one hour after the eruption.
In the 1920s, a young Romani people, Romani woman named Vanushka Cardena Barajas died and was buried in the Xela city cemetery. An active legend has developed around her tomb that says those who bring flowers or write a request on her tomb will be reunited with their former romantic partners. The Guatemalan songwriter Alvaro Aguilar wrote a song based on this legend.
In 1930 the only electric railway in Guatemala, the ''Ferrocarril de Los Altos'', was inaugurated. It was built by AEG and Krupp and had 14 train cars. The track connected Quetzaltenango with San Felipe, Retalhuleu, San Felipe, Retalhuleu. It was soon destroyed by mudslides and finally demolished in 1933. The people of Quetzaltenango are still very proud of the railway. A List of railway museums, railway museum has been established in the city center.
Since the late 1990s Quetzaltenango has been having an economic boom, which makes it the city with the second-highest contribution to the Guatemalan economy. With its first high-rise buildings being built, it is expected by 2015 to have a more prominent skyline, with buildings up to 15 floors tall.
In 2008, the Central American Congress PARLACEN stated that every September 15, Quetzaltenango will be Central America's capital of culture.
Quetzaltenango was supposed to host 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games but dropped out due to a lack of funding for the event.
In March 2022, indigenous activists began blockading the central waste deposit near Valle de Palajunoj to protest a :es:Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial, city development plan enacted by the municipal authorities in June 2017.
Climate
According to Köppen climate classification, Quetzaltenango features a Oceanic climate#Subtropical highland variety (Cwb), subtropical highland climate (''Cwb''). In general, the climate in Quetzaltenango can go from mild to chilly, with occasional sporadic warm episodes. The daily high is usually reached around noon. From then on, temperatures decrease exceptionally fast. The city is quite dry, except during the rainy season. Quetzaltenango is the coolest major city in Guatemala.
There are two main seasons in Quetzaltenango (as in all of Guatemala); the rainy season, which generally runs from late May through late October, and the dry season, which runs from early November until April. During the rainy season, rain falls consistently, usually in the afternoons, but there are occasions in which it rains all day long or at least during the morning. During the dry season, the city frequently will not receive a single drop of rain for months on end.
The coldest months are November through February, with minimum temperatures averaging , and maximum temperatures averaging . The warmest months are March through July, with minimum temperatures averaging and maximum temperatures averaging . Yearly, the average low is and the average high is .
Economy
Historically, the city produced wheat, maize, fruits, and vegetables. It also had a healthy livestock industry. Livestock was exported throughout the country and to El Salvador. As of 1850, wheat was the largest export, followed by Theobroma cacao, cacao, sugar, wool and cotton.Sports
Quetzaltenango is home to the Club Xelajú MC soccer team. The team competes at Estadio Mario Camposeco which has a capacity of 13,500 and is the most successful non-capital team in the Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Due to the city's high altitude many athletes have prepared themselves here such as Olympic silver medalist Erick Barrondo and the 2004 Cuban volleyball team. The swimming team has enjoyed success in national and international events. Quetzaltenango withdrew from hosting the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games. It planned to build a 30,000-seat stadium by 2016, as well seven new facilities for indoor sports and aquatics.Transportation
The city has a system of micro-buses for quick and cheap movement. A micro-bus is essentially a large van stuffed with seats. Micro-buses are numbered based on the route they take (e.g., "''Ruta 7''"). There is no government-run mass transport system in the city. The sole public means of transport is the bus or micro-buses. Transportation to other cities is provided by bus. Bicycling is a way to get around and to travel to (and in) rural areas. Quetzaltenango Airport provides air service to the city.
Education
Quetzaltenango,(Xela) is the center of many schools and Universities that provide Education to locals and many thousands of students from the surrounding cities and departments (states) and international students from North America and Europe, that's the reason it's a very important city for the south-west/north-west region of the Country of Guatemala, for many decades Quetzaltenango has produced distinguished Citizens through all Educational establishments, among those we can mention: * Centro Universitario de Occidente San Carlos de Guatemala (CUNOC) * Universidad Rafael Landivar * Universidad Mariano Gálvez * Universidad Mesoamericana * Universidad Francisco Marroquín * Universidad de Occidente * Universidad Galileo * Universidad del Istmo (Opus Dei affiliated) * Universidad Del Valle de GuatemalaPeople born in Quetzaltenango
* Maria Vicenta Rosal (1820–1886), religious leader * Manuel Barillas (1845–1907), President of Guatemala * Jesús Castillo (composer), Jesus Castillo (1877–1946), Musician * Ricardo Castillo (composer), Ricardo Castillo (1891–1966), composer * Rodolfo Robles (1878–1939), physician and philanthropist * Manuel Estrada Cabrera (1898–1924), President of Guatemala * Domingo Bethancourt (1906-1980), Musician * Rodolfo Galeotti Torres (1912–1988), sculptor * Efraín Recinos (1928–2011), engineer, architect, sculptor * Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán (1913–1971), President of Guatemala * Alberto Fuentes Mohr (1927–1979), economist, finance minister, foreign minister, social-democratic leaders * Comandante Rolando Morán (1929-1998), one of the guerrilla leaders in the Guatemalan Civil War * Carlos Navarrete Cáceres (b. 1931), anthropologist and writer * Otto René Castillo (b. 1934), poet and revolutionary * Danilo Lopez (1937-2017), swimmer * Juan Arturo Gutierrez, founder of international fast-food chain Pollo Campero * Luis Rolando Ixquiac Xicara (b. 1947), artist *Julio Serrano Echeverría (b. 1983), poet and writerConsular representations
* Consulate of El Salvador * Consulate of Italy * Consulate of Mexico *Consulate of SpainTwin towns – sister cities
Quetzaltenango is Sister city, twinned with: * Campeche City, Campeche, Mexico * Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Chiapa de Corzo, Mexico * Livermore, California, Livermore, United States * San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico * Santa Fe, Granada, Santa Fe, Spain * Santa María Huatulco, Mexico * Tapachula, Mexico * Tromsø, Norway * Turin, Italy * Veracruz (city), Veracruz, MexicoSee also
* Luna de Xelajú * History of Guatemala * History of Central AmericaReferences
External links
* {{Authority control Quetzaltenango, Municipalities of the Quetzaltenango Department