Santa Cruz del Quiché

Infobox Settlement
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settlement_type = Municipality
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pushpin_label_position =bottom
pushpin_map_caption =Location in Guatemala
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name =
subdivision_type1 = Department
subdivision_name1 = El Quiché
subdivision_type2 = Municipality
subdivision_name2 = Santa Cruz del Quiché
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government_type = Municipal
leader_title = Mayor
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area_total_km2 = 311
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population_as_of = Census 2002
population_footnotes = [cite web |url=http://www.ine.gob.gt/index.php?view=article&catid=42%3Ademografiaypoblacion&id=75%3Acenso2002&option=com_content&Itemid=69 |title=XI Censo Nacional de Poblacion y VI de Habitación (Censo 2002) |accessmonthday= |accessyear= |last= |first= |date=2002 |work= |publisher=INE ]
population_note =
population_total = 62369
population_density_km2 =
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population_urban = 20870
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population_blank1_title =Ethnicities
population_blank1 =K'iche', Ladino
population_blank2_title =Religions
population_blank2 =Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Maya
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latd=15 |latm=1 |lats=48 |latNS=N
longd=91|longm=9 |longs=0 |longEW=W
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elevation_m = 2021
elevation_max_m = 2500
elevation_min_m = 1500
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website = http://www.inforpressca.com/quiche/
footnotes = 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 coord|15.03|N|91.15|W|, at an elevation of 2,021 m (6,631 feet) above sea level. The urban population was about 21,000 people in 2003.

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 Gumarcaj (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 Gumarcaj ruins by the Dominicans. Some think it likely that it was in Santa Cruz where a group of anonymous Quiché nobles of the Nim Ch'okoj class transcribed the Popol Vuh, the sacred text of the Maya.

In Santa Cruz, the former rulers of Cumarcaj 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.

References

External links

* [http://www.inforpressca.com/quiche/ Santa Cruz del Quiché - Sistema de Información Municipal]
* [http://www.ine.gob.gt/index.php?view=article&catid=42%3Ademografiaypoblacion&id=75%3Acenso2002&option=com_content&Itemid=69 INE - XI Censo Nacional de Poblacion y VI de Habitación (Censo 2002)]