Sacatepéquez Department
Sacatepéquez Department
Departmento de Sacatepéquez | |
|---|---|
From top to bottom, from left to right: Arch of Santa Catalina, Water Volcano, Defay Castle, Traditional Chicken Bus, Sumpango giant kites and Central Plaza of the Old City. | |
Sacatepéquez in Guatemala | |
| Country | Guatemala |
| Capital and largest city | Antigua |
| Municipalities | 16 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Departmental |
| Area | |
| 465 km2 (180 sq mi) | |
| Population (2018) | |
| 330,469 | |
| • Density | 710/km2 (1,800/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 292,366 |
| • Religions | Roman Catholicism Evangelicalism Maya |
| Time zone | UTC-6 |
Sacatepéquez (Spanish pronunciation: [sa.ka.teˈpe.kes]) is one of the 22 departments of Guatemala. The name comes from Sacatepéquez, a city from November 21, 1542, until July 29, 1773, when it was destroyed by the 1773 Guatemala earthquake.
The capital of the department is Antigua Guatemala. Other important cities include Ciudad Vieja and San Lucas Sacatepéquez, which also hosts a marketplace and is a culinary attraction. The Chajoma were a group of indigenous people who were Kaqchikel speaking Maya, they identified Mixco Viejo as their capital, and spread throughout the Sacatepequez Department until their capital was moved to Ciudad Vieja, in Antigua.