Founded in 1776, near the ancient ruins of Kaminal Juyu, Guatemala City became the third capital of Guatemala after Antigua was destroyed by an earthquake in 1773.  It was a difficult move as many did not want to leave Antigua, even though it had been devastated.

The founders of Guatemala City basically had to start the city from scratch, as the area was inhabited only by a few farmers.  Building began slowly and a street system was laid out similar to the Spanish-style grid. 

Much of the colonial-era architecture has been destroyed by the earthquakes of 1917, 1918 and 1976.  There are still some historic homes that represent the 19th Century architecture, as well as the San Carlos University.  

During the 20th Century, the city has expanded tremendously and development and services have attempted to keep up.  The current system of dividing the city into 25 zones came about during the presidency of Jacobo Arbenz.  As the city grew, many of the wealthy moved away from the downtown area, into the suburbs surrounding the city center. A peripheral road provided the manner for them to get around without getting stuck in downtown traffic.

In 1976, there was a major earthquake at 3 am, that destroyed over 50,000 homes in Guatemala City as well as hundreds of thousands throughout the country.  With no homes left, many people from the countryside migrated to Guatemala City in hopes of a better life.  Shantytowns were formed and today many of these people still live in some of the worst conditions in the country. 

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