Explore / North America / Central America
Central America, León Department
Leon Viejo, Nicaragua
Buried 1524 Spanish city
Lake shore Documented siteProhibited, look only
What you could find
Reported finds from this ground.
Sea potteryAlso reported: eyes-only: excavated 16th century foundations, cathedral ruins, Plaza Mayor, lake-edge landscape.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: NPS (Public domain).
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Why this spot
One of the oldest Spanish settlements in the Americas, founded 1524 and abandoned after the 1610 earthquake, its unaltered street grid preserved under Momotombo's ash by Lake Managua
Leon Viejo's founding, 1610 abandonment, 1967 rediscovery and UNESCO inscription are institutionally documented
Before you go
Hazards noted for this site.
Intense lowland heatActive Momotombo volcano nearby, check Nicaragua travel advisories
Keep exploring nearby
More spots in this area.