ZUNIL HISTORY

ZUNIL HISTORY

Zunil, Mayan K’iche people , surrounded by mountains and volcanoes is a town of colors and living culture. Its municipality is about 215 km from Guatemala city (City), on inter American highway CA-1 and at 212 .kml of the pacific international highway, CA-2 west. It is on the banks of the Samala river, it is a town that still has features of the pre Columbian era.

Zunil derives from the K’iche’ voices Tz’u, what means tecomate mean, and Nil, “house” or “music”. This town is at 2077.66 m. high above sea level, which makes its weather cold, a maximum temperature of 18º to 24º and the minimum is 6º to 9º c. It has micro climates, that can, for its location and height, dramatically change its climate.

Most of its population speaks K’iche, the native language. They also wear the clothes that they manufacture themselves, for their personal use, it is characterized by many colors and shapes, they are inspired by the fauna and flora of the place, has religious practices, beliefs as the catholic and protestant religions. The Mayan religion and the worship of Maximon.

Photograph of the Catholic procession

Maximon's photograph

CHURCH OF ZUNIL

The church of Santa Catalina of Alexandría Zunil, it is a baroque design architecture, which is distinguished by its excess of ornaments in the atrium, in baroque style the artistic expressions stand out, on the facade we find the use the Solomon columns, Its church is considered a very valuable structure by the population, The majority of the inhabitants practice the Roman Catholic religion. the busiest days among local peopñe are the festivities of its patron fair.