Léon

Léon

The first city called León in Nicaragua was established in 1524 by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba approximately 30 kilometers east of the current site. After a series of earthquakes caused by a volcanic eruption led to its decline, the city was abandoned in 1610. Its ruin, called Leon Viejo, was unearthed in 1960, bringing to light a wealth of historical and archaeological remains. In 2000, León Viejo was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its significance as one of the oldest Spanish colonial settlements in the Americas and its well-preserved ruins, which offer valuable insights into the early history of the region. Nicaragua had had León as its capital since the colonial era. Naturally, León became the capital of the newly formed country of Nicaragua after it separated from the United Provinces of Central America in 1839. The capital alternated between the cities of Granada and León for a while. Before Managua was chosen as the permanent capital in 1852 as a result of a compromise offered by Fulgencio Vega, the then-Supreme Director of Nicaragua, liberal administrations favored León and conservative administrations Granada. León is abundant in monuments and historical sites. Notable architectural monuments include Cárcel la 21, a former prison in the San Sebastian district, the colonial baroque Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of León (built between 1747 and 1814), the oldest intact church in Leon – the church of Sutiava, and the ruins of the church of San Sebastián, among others.