In southwestern Guatemala, tourists can visit a very interesting city named Quetzaltenango. As the official name is quite long, local people often call their home by its Mayan name – Xelaju or Xela. This region is very popular with tourists because of the hot springs and various handmade items made by local craftsmen. The city is not particularly rich in attractions. Despite this, foreign guests enjoy visiting Quetzaltenango to explore it and make a pleasant and useful journey to the nearby villages where guests can admire the breathtaking landscapes, see how the wood fabrics are made, and maybe even buy attractive local clothes. According to the historic record, the city of Quetzaltenango was founded on May 7, 1424. However, the archaeological excavations in the area prove that there was a settlement in this area long before that date. By the time when Quetzaltenango was officially mentioned in the documents, the city had existed for at least three centuries. Spanish conquerors were the first European settlers. They tried to make Guatemala a Spanish colony. At that time, the indigenous people were not strong enough to resist the armed enemies, so the invaders captured the territory within a short period. The new rulers immediately imposed their laws. They didn’t take into consideration the lifestyle and traditions of the indigenous people, so the former residents of Quetzaltenango had to leave their houses and move to other cities or countries. The Spanish
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