Andrew Payti
Cattle on a rural road in León Viejo
León Viejo (Old Lion) is just 15 miles from the university city of León. León Viejo was the capital of Spain’s colonial province of Nicaragua until 1610, when it was leveled by an earthquake triggered by the nearby volcano Momotombo. Located in a rural area and not discovered until 1967, parts of the old city have now been excavated. A cathedral and central plaza were uncovered. Excavation work continues. In 2000, León Viejo was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, Nicaragua’s first.
Explore More:
Do you know what it means to be a UNESCO World Heritage site? Do some research to find out. You might also be interested in discovering which other Spanish-speaking countries have locations that have been declared World Heritage sites. This information would make an interesting PowerPoint® presentation.