Colorful Buildings in Granada, Nicaragua

The beautiful city of Granada in Nicaragua is one of the oldest cities in the Americas and is well known for its lovingly restored Colonial architecture. The city was settled in 1524 by the Spanish and still has many of the original buildings reflecting its rich Spanish history. When you are visiting Nicaragua, you must not miss the chance to visit this city. Granada is located on Lake Nicaragua and only 70 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean. Endearingly, it is known as “Gran Sultana del Gran Lago” which means, the Great Sultan of the Great Lake.

The best way to experience Granada is to rent a horse carriage or explore the city by walking. In the center of Granada is the town square (the Parque Central or also known as the Parque Colon) which is surrounded by stately Colonial buildings painted in bright Caribbean colors and lovingly preserved. Families, friends and tourists go to the Parque Central to meet, relax, listen to music, buy food and other handicrafts at the stalls in the square. It’s a lovely place to walk around and enjoy the last rays of the sun and soak up the wonderful Latin American ambiance of the Square. The market stalls around the Parque Central offer all types of things to buy from pottery, to books,  to jewelery to art work, a great opportunity to pick up some Nicaraguan souvenirs to take home.

The Granada Cathedral, Granada, Nicaragua

Some of the Granada tourist sights you must not miss include the stunning church called “the Granada Cathedral.” Its rich Caribbean yellow exterior which dominates the Parque Central. Fire destroyed the Cathedral in 1856, but it was rebuilt in 1880. In 1905, the Granada Cathedral was restored. It was designed by the Italian architect Andres Zappata who copied the Vatican Basilica cupola and other architectural features from the Renaissance. Other Colonial buildings around the Square include the municipal building, some banks and the exclusive Alahambra Hotel, one of the most stylish hotels in Nicaragua.

The colorful Colonial houses, churches and other buildings offer ample photo opportunities for the photographers among us. There is a street in Granada which is closed to traffic where you’ll find plenty of bistros, cafes and restaurants where you can sit and enjoy a drink, people watch, listen to music and snack or dine if you wish.  Walk around and you will find it.

The Fuerta La Polvora in Granada

Another tourist site to visit in Granada is the ruins of the Forteleza la Pólvora on the Calle Real Xalteva, built in 1748 by the Spanish. It was reconstructed in the 1990s. During the Somoza dictatorship it was an interrogation and torture center. Today, it houses an art gallery and museum.

The partially restored Merced Church is lovely example of Colonial and Baroque styled architecture in Granada.  It was originally built in 1534.  It suffered massive destruction in the civil war of 1854 and was demolished by fire in the National War.  You can climb up the narrow stairs of the tower to the roof of the church and get spectacular views of the city of Granada,  Lake Nicaragua and the Mombacho Volcano.

I have not written about all the churches in Granada, but there are many more such as the Xalteva Church and the Guadalupe Church all beautifully constructed and worth seeing.

When you travel to Nicaragua, there is so much to see in this new tourist destination and you must include a visit to the beautiful city of Granada. There are plenty of hotels in Granada to choose from which I’ll be writing about in another article.

The Merced Church in Granada