Esquipulas

A Mesoamerican religious destination and recognized as the Central American capital of faith

Países
Guatemala

Zona
South

Temática
Culture

Located in the department of Chiquimula, it is a Mesoamerican religious destination since the beginning of the colony and recognized as the Central American capital of faith for receiving thousands of pilgrimages that go with a common purpose… devotion or penance.

Within the pilgrimage traditions, for years, this pilgrimage has been recognized as the Holy Route of the Pilgrim, where the faithful devotees have walked with songs and prayers until they reach their meeting with the Lord of Esquipulas.

This is one of the most important and visited religious destinations in Guatemala, since there is the Basilica of Esquipulas that was built between 1740 and 1758, in its interior remains the miraculous image of the Black Christ Lord of Esquipulas and is considered the largest Catholic temple in Central America. It was declared a historical and artistic monument on June 12, 1970. January 15 is the titular feast and throughout the week pilgrims from different parts of the world walk the streets to ask for a miracle, buy a souvenir of their visit and enjoy the local cuisine.

It offers visitors a great variety of flora, fauna and cloud forests that can be visited in the Trifinio Biosphere Reserve or they can visit Finca Los Girasoles, where tourists can hike with family and friends, enjoying nature. It also offers a number of entertainment activities with hotels and restaurants of the highest quality.

Piedra de los Compadres is the most visited place by the superstitious, where traditional communities believe that they are a manifestation of divine powers, or materialization of celestial wills. For this reason, the place is the scene of sacred Mayan rituals, prayers, sacrifices and penances.