Antigua Earthquake
- When
- 1773
- Where
- Colonial Guatemala
- Episodes
- 2
The 1773 Guatemala earthquake, known as the Santa Marta earthquake, struck colonial Guatemala on July 29. With an estimated magnitude of 7.5 Mi, it severely damaged the colonial capital, Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala. The destruction led Spanish authorities to abandon the city, which is now Antigua Guatemala, and relocate the capital.
Episodes
- Relocation Decision
Spanish authorities decided not to rebuild the city after the 1773 earthquake, leading to the capital's relocation.
- Mainshock
The mainshock struck colonial Guatemala on July 29 at 15:45 local time with an estimated magnitude of 7.5 Mi.
Background and detail
Background. The seismic event began with two strong foreshocks on June 11. The mainshock occurred on July 29 at 15:45 local time. The series of earthquakes is referred to as the Santa Marta earthquake(s) because it started on the feast day of Saint Martha. Numerous aftershocks continued until December 1773.
Damage. The earthquakes had an intensity of approximately VII to VIII on the Mercalli scale. This severity destroyed much of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, the colonial capital of Central America. The city, known today as Antigua Guatemala, suffered extensive damage.
Relocation Decision. Spanish authorities had previously considered moving the capital after the 1717 earthquake. Following the devastation of the 1773 event, they decided not to rebuild the city. This decision led to the relocation of the capital to a new location, marking the end of Antigua Guatemala's status as the colonial capital.
People involved
- Spanish authorities · Decision-makers
Sources
- 1773 Guatemala earthquake Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-31
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.