Chichicastenango is a town in the Guatemalan highlands, northwest of Guatemala City. It’s known for its open-air craft market and indigenous Maya culture. The 16th-century Santo Tomás Apóstol Church has long been used for both for Catholic worship and Maya rituals. Surrounded by valleys with mountains serrating the horizons, Chichicastenango can seem isolated in time and space from the rest of Guatemala. When its narrow cobbled streets and red-tiled roofs are enveloped in mist, it’s downright magical. The crowds of crafts vendors and tour groups who flock in for the huge Thursday and Sunday markets lend it a much worldlier, more commercial atmosphere, but Chichi retains its mystery. Masheños are famous for their adherence to pre-Christian beliefs and ceremonies, and the town’s various cofradías hold processions in observance of their saints around the church of Santo Tomás.
Chichicastenango is one of the most important towns in Guatemala since it treasures a lot of Mayan culture, history and traditions. It is the home of the Quiché civilization . Back in the days it was one of the largest trading centers in the Maya area. It was here in this mystic place where the original Popol Vuh was found. The discovery of this Mayan advisory book meant a big breakthrough on understanding Mayan history. The book narrates the origin of the world, humanity and natural hazards from the mystic perspective of the Maya civilization.
Places to visit in Chichicastenango:
- Iglesia de Santo Tomas
- Pascual Abaj
- Chichicastenango Market
- Los Senderos del Abuelo Arqueological Park
- Arco Gucumatz
Enjoy the private tour around Chichicastenango surrounded by valleys with mountains serrating the horizons.
