Santa Cruz del Quiché
—  Municipality  —
Santa Cruz del Quiché Location in Guatemala
Coordinates: 15°1′48″N 91°9′0″W / 15.03°N 91.15°W / 15.03; -91.15
Country	Guatemala
Department	El Quiché
Municipality	Santa Cruz del Quiché
Government
- Type	Municipal
- Mayor
Area
- Municipality	311 km2 (120.1 sq mi)
Elevation	2,021 m (6,631 ft)
Highest elevation	2,500 m (8,202 ft)
Lowest elevation	1,500 m (4,921 ft)
Population (Census 2002)[1]
- Municipality	62,369
- Urban	20,870
- Ethnicities	K'iche', Ladino
- Religions	Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya
Website	http://www.inforpressca.com/quiche/

Santa Cruz de Quiché is a city in Guatemala. It serves as the capital of El Quiché department and the municipal seat of Santa Cruz de Quiché municipality.

The city is located at 15°02′N 91°09′W / 15.03°N 91.15°W / 15.03; -91.15, at an elevation of 2,021 m (6,631 feet) above sea level. The urban population was about 21,000 people in 2003.

[edit] History

Santa Cruz de Quiché was founded by Pedro de Alvarado, a companion and second in-command of conquistador Hernán Cortés, after he burned down the nearby Maya capital city of Q'umarkaj (or Utatlán, in the Nahuatl language). The oldest buildings, including a large cathedral and clock tower in the central plaza, were constructed out of the stones of the Q'umarkaj ruins by the Dominicans. Some think it likely that it was in Santa Cruz where a group of anonymous K'iche' nobles of the Nim Ch'okoj class transcribed the Popol Vuh, the sacred text of the Maya.

In Santa Cruz, the former rulers of Q'umarkaj were reduced to the status of peasant. As the living conditions were so pitiful in the city, the town of Santo Tomás Chichicastenango, about 20 miles to the south of Santa Cruz, began to swell with the immigration of displaced Mayas and soon passed up Santa Cruz in both size and importance.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Santa Cruz del Quiché - Sistema de Información Municipal
• INE - XI Censo Nacional de Poblacion y VI de Habitación (Censo 2002)

v • d • e Quiché Department Capital: Santa Cruz del Quiché Municipalities  · Canillá · Chajul  · Chicaman · Chiché · Chichicastenango · Chinique · Cunén  · Joyabaj  · Nebaj  · Sacapulas  · Patzité · Pachalúm  · Playa Grande Ixcán · San Andrés Sajcabajá  · San Antonio Ilotenango · San Bartolomé Jocotenango  · San Juan Cotzal · San Pedro Jocopilas · Santa Cruz del Quiché · Uspantán  · Zacualpa