PALACIO NACIONAL DE LA CULTURA

The Plaza de la Constitución is the heart of the historic center of the capital. This is where the main buildings stand, such as the Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, built on its northern side. This imposing monument with its dominant colonial style was built between 1939 and 1943, on the initiative of General Jorge Ubico, then president of Guatemala. Ironically, the dictator was forced to resign during the 1944 Revolution and was unable to take advantage of the new seat of government. Today, the building has been converted into a reception hall for cultural events or during the visit of a foreign head of state. Until the end of the 1990s, it housed several ministries.

In addition to official and diplomatic ceremonies, the Palacio Nacional de la Cultura is the scene of social and artistic events, ranging from concerts to photography and painting exhibitions. It is also a museum with walls full of history. There is the point that marks kilometer 0 of the country's road system, but also - and above all - paintings, frescoes, a crystal, bronze and gold leaf chandelier weighing 2.5 tons, as well as a rich decoration executed by renowned contemporary Guatemalan artists, such as Julio Urruela Vásquez, Rodolfo Galeotti Torres or Alfredo Gálvez Suárez. Finally, it was here that the Peace Accords were signed between the government and the URNG, which put an end to the civil war, in 1996.