Historic places in León

Historic places in León

1. Eat

   Casa Lola

   New restaurant in an old historical building, with tables in and around a beautiful court yard. Excellent meat and seafood dishes. Wide selection of fancy coctails and rum. Best place in León for a romantic dinner.

   Tue-Thu Sun 12:00-22:00, Fri Sat 12:00-23:00·C$700

2. See

   Central Park

   Parque Central

   A lively park with a fountain and shady trees in front of the cathedral. The park is a great place to people watch as it is packed with families and youth chatting and playing, with vendors selling ice cream and drinks. On weekends musicians, dancers or street performers may add to the atmosphere. Of the eight streets leading up to the square, six have been converted to nice pedestrian streets. For a guided walking tour of the city, gather at the northeastern corner of Central Park at 9:00.

3. See

   El Fortín de Acosasco

   For the best view over the city with the volcano range in the background, head to this historical fortress southwest of León. During the Somoza dictatorship, the fortress was used both to control the city and as a prison for political opponents. Best reached from Sutiava, but there is also a road from Barrio Guadalupe.

   Free

4. Eat

   El Sesteo

   Great location with views of the cathedral. Has a diverse menu from typical local food and beverages to fast food.

   Mon-Sun 10:00-22:00

5. See

   Ermita San Pedro

   A baroque chapel completed in 1718, with a simple but beautiful exterior. Of four small historic chapels in Sutiava, this is the only one that survived the turbulent times of the early 19th century.

6. See

   Iglesia Guadalupe

   The main church in the southern part of León, built at the end of the 19th century. Unlike the typical west facing entrance of other León churches, the entrance of this church faces north towards the cathedral.

7. See

   Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza

   With its ashlar masonry the church has an almost medieval look, but it is one of the newer churches, built in 1934.

8. See

   Iglesia San Sebastian

   Protected by a modern roof, only ruins remain of this old historical church from the 18th century, after it was bombed by the Somoza dictatorship in 1979. A new parish church has been built next to the ruins.

9. Eat

   La Antigua 1620

   Excellent food served in the oldest house in León, with many historical pictures on the walls. The taco appetizer is superb. Ask for a table by one of the old windows overlooking the street.

   C$500

10. See

    León Cathedral

    The largest cathedral in Central America and a UNESCO World Heritage site, built in a mix of baroque and neoclassical styles. The thick, low-slung, fortress-like walls were explicitly engineered to survive earthquakes. With construction started in 1747 the cathedral was inaugurated in 1780. The connected parish church in the south-eastern corner was built in the 1790s. The façade and towers were added between 1810 and 1820. In 1909, the cathedral received a series of 14 large paintings by José Antonio Sarria Mejía, depicting the stations of the cross. The cathedral is the final resting place of the poet Rubén Darío, as well as many other notable Nicaraguans. For a small fee you can climb the stairs up to the roof, where you get a great view of all of León's churches and the surrounding volcanoes. You also get a close-up view of the giant sculptures holding up the cathedral bells; just don't ring them. A guided tour brings you into the cellars beneath the cathedral, with old antiques and burial places. Facing the southern side of the cathedral is the episcopal palace and the beautiful San Ramón seminary.

11. See

    León Viejo

    The original site of León on the western shore of Lake Xolotlán at the foot of the Momotombo volcano, until the city was moved in 1610. Not available elsewhere, this UNESCO World Heritage site shows the ruins and layout of an early colonial city, with the Calle Real leading up to the Plaza, the Cathedral, other churches, and residencies of its leading citizens. There is also has a small museum about the indigenous population.

    Tue-Sun 08:00-17:00·C$50 natives, C$365 foreigners, which includes an excellent guided tour, less for children

12. See

    Rubén Darío Museum

    Museo Archivo Rubén Darío

    The beautiful colonial childhood home of writer and poet Rubén Darío, founder of the modernismo movement in Spanish literature. The exibit includes family furniture and historical books. His most famous book, Azul, is a collection of short stories and poems.

    Tue-Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 9:00-12:00

13. See Not mapped

    Street Murals

    As you’re wandering around the streets, keep a lookout for large and small street murals, located in various places around the city. The murals usually commemorate historical events such as the 1959 massacre of protesting students by the military under the Somoza dictatorship.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to León (CC BY-SA 4.0).