Antigua Guatemala : The City and Its Heritage [Paperback]

Elizabeth Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2001

An indepth description of the city of Antigua Guatemala including its history, 33 monuments and historical sites, museums, houses, fiestas and holidays. It focuses on the physical environment and historical figures, and provides a chronological record of damaging earthquakes and Fuego Volcano Eruptions as well as an extensive bibliography. This is THE source for visitors' information on the colonial capital of Antigua Guatemala.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elizabeth Bell, a resident of Antigua for more than 35 years, was born in Burlingame, California, grew up in Palo Alto, and moved to Antigua at the age of 14. She is a graduate of the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, holding a degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. After experiencing the 1976 earthquake in Antigua, she worked on her Master of Arts (ABT) at the University of Washington, majoring in Latin American History and Historiography. Upon her return she co-authored the first of her series of books on Antigua. She was Director of Educational Programs and Public Information at the Consejo Nacional Para la Protección de La Antigua Guatemala from 1978 to 1987 and, as head of its Information department, she designed and directed preservation educational programs for 10,000 schoolchildren each year and she authored and edited their publications. Elizabeth received a certificate in Architectural Conservation at the International Centre for the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Property (ICCROM) in Rome in 1983. She was awarded a certificate in Heritage and Tourism from the Centro Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museología in Havana in 1997. Ms. Bell has regularly attended seminars in these fields in Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, the United States and elsewhere.

With emphasis on professional cultural tourism in Antigua, Ms. Bell has conducted cultural tour and developed slide presentations and lectures since 1992. She is an active member of various associations in Antigua that provide support by the private sector in favor of the preservation and positive development of Antigua. She is a major sponsor of the restoration materials for the Colonial Art Museum. Her greatest joy, however, is researching the city. She has authored and published Antigua Guatemala: the City and its Heritage (English, Spanish and Italian editions), Lent and Holy Week in Antigua (English and Spanish editions), Let’s See Antigua coloring book (bilingual), Fiestas and Holidays in Antigua coloring book (bilingual), and Let’s Save the Scarlet Macaws in the Rainforest of Petén, Guatemala coloring book (trilingual). She is currently working on a book on Santo Domingo in Antigua. Published initially in 1978, this edition of Antigua Guatemala: the City and its Heritage endeavors to give the reader a deeper appreciation of the city’s rich heritage.

Product Details

• Paperback: 213 pages
• Publisher: Antigua Tours (February 2001)
• ISBN-10: 9992270624
• ISBN-13: 978-9992270622
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,245,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elizabeth Bell's Antigua Guatemala, November 25, 2006

By 

Jacqueline B. Winter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Antigua Guatemala: The City and Its Heritage (Paperback)

Are you planning a visit to Antigua Guatemala? Read Elizabeth Bell's Antigua Guatemala: The City and its Heritage first! If you aren't planning a visit, leaf through this book and you will reserve a ticket as soon as possible. Bell's book is a marvelous introduction to the history, architecture, and art of this important colonial city. In addition to an excellent historical introduction, the book includes monument by monument descriptions, museum summaries, and references to specific art objects. Photographs, a comprehensive bibliography, and a charming map are also included. Bell's devotion to the scholarship of the area and the restoration of this beautiful city are remarkable. The book is a terrific introduction to an intriguing city.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good History Lesson, January 26, 2007

By 

Ellen Fix "Copywriter" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Antigua Guatemala: The City and Its Heritage (Paperback)

I thought the book was going to give 'insider' travel and touring tips for those visiting Antigua and surrounding areas today. Perhaps I should have read the book summary more closely; it is actually a detailed look at the city's development and its history, describing all the places to see from an historical perspective. For those who are interested, the author presents a fascinating yet singularly focused background on the city's development. Her expertise is unquestioned, however I found the writing somewhat dry. Still, I look forward to visiting Antigua soon and I am sure I will share her love and fascination with this beautiful place.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must have book for anyone visiting Antigua, Guatemala!, February 3, 2004

By 

Doug Wood (El Salvador, CA & Birmingham, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Antigua Guatemala : The City and Its Heritage (Paperback)

Antigua has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the New World. Once the darling of the Americas, she was virtually abandoned after a devastating earthquake in 1773. Thus, we have one of the most beautiful colonial cities in the Americas.

I became smitten with Antigua while on a holiday from missions work in December 1995. What began as an innocent walking tour with Elizabeth Bell, became a lifelong love of this beautiful city and her people. With Bell's book (and candle, in case night set in), I visited almost every building or ruin and soaked up the romance of this beautiful city.

After marrying in 2002, the only choice for our "luna de miel" or honeymoon...Antigua, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And of course, we packed Elizabeth's book.