Ruins of Leon Viejo
by Anne Watcher on Wednesday February 20th, 2013 at 10:31amLeon, Nicaragua as we know it today is not where it originally started out. Thirty kms. to the east sit the ruins of the original city founded in 1524 by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba, a Spanish conqueror.
Built on the shores of Lake Managua and in the shadow of Momotombo Volcano it was vacated and the city moved to it's present location in 1610. Although it was an eruption of the volcano that caused the move, the city was not destroyed by that eruption. The residents just thought a little distance between them and the volcano was a good idea.
To get there we took the bus to La Paz Centro and then hired a Moto-taxi to take us over to the lake and through the present day village of Momotombo. Moto-taxis are very popular in La Paz and it was an enjoyable ride.
What is left of the second oldest city of Nicaragua is nothing but ruins. Leon was one of the most important cities of the region where gold from Nicaragua and other countries was traded in Leon, much of it later being sent to Spain as payment for taxes. Because of this activity many rich merchants made Leon their home.
Due to the fact that the city was never destroyed by the volcano, it's ruins have been preserved under many years worth of ash and dirt. The ruins where discovered in 1967 with excavations beginning in 1999. It was declared an UNESCO world heritage site in 2000. The site is well set up and a very knowledgeable guide will take you through giving many details of life many many years ago.
As you enter the park the first main ruin is of the church, I think this one is La Merced. Three churches have been found here and the burial tomb of the founder and his executioner were unearthed in the church at the far end of the city.
Two very important statues are also found near the entrance. The first one is of the founder Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba. Here also his remains have been put after they were found. However, Mario our guide told us that this statue was being moved and we were perhaps the last ones to see it in this location.
The second statue is a reminder of a much more morbid event that took place in Leon Viejo. Prisoners were executed here and depending on your status in life the method varied. If you were of a noble or rich family you were beheaded. The normal working class person was hung but if you were a native person you were eaten by dogs.
This is what the second statue depicts. Very sad indeed but history none the less.
The main road was called the "Royal Way" and was 14 m. wide and 300 m. long. Here parades would take place and also prisoners were marched along here from the prison at the back of the city up to the main square for execution. Also the foundry where the gold was smelted was located along this road. Many of the wealthy also lived here.
One very nice feature of this park is the fact the they have signs to describe the ruins both in English and Spanish. Many historical facts can be found on these signs and it does make for a more enjoyable tour.
The ruins below were of one of the richest residents in Leon Viejo. Casa de Gonzalo Cano is the perfect example of how the wealthy lived. Rooms were large, floors done in a herringbone pattern (a sign of wealth), a large formal ballroom, sewage pipes and even a secret exit out the back in case of revolt from the natives.
The monastery is the last ruin to be uncovered and is located at the end of the main road. It was here that the remains of Cordoba were found. Laying beside him were the bones of his Lieutenant Pedrarias Divila, who ironically also was the man that killed him. There are many theories as to who's orders he was following at the time.
The ruins of one house I, being a woman, found particularly interesting. The home of Ana Jimenez might have been a bit more modest than some but she still holds her place in fashion history. She was a fashion designer and a bit ahead of her time. Her designs were considered to be quite "sexy" as our guide said. She is credited with the V neck and also the Mid-Calf length for dresses. I guess even in design nothing is really new!!
You have to have a guide when touring Leon Viejo. Our guide Mario was extremely knowledgeable about all the facts and he spoke perfect English!
As you can see in some of the pictures structures have been erected over some of the more fragile ruins. This is because that although the original city wasn't destroyed by a natural disaster, over the years hurricanes and tropical storms have done their damage. There is much more to discover here so a few precautions have been taken.
Links to Leon Viejo:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/613
http://www.manfut.org/leon/complejo.html
Costs : Entrance fee: Foreigners $2 US, locals C$12. If you want to take pictures it will cost an extra C$25, C$50 for video.
Getting There: Take a bus to La Paz Centro. You can get there either from Leon or Managua. From here you can hire a driver like we did - C$100 for 4 of us - or take the local bus to Momotombo.