Antigua was once the glamorous capital of Guatemala before two devastating earthquakes in the 1700s left it mostly abandoned. Now the ruins are a tourist attraction. Within eight-by-eight blocks, a visitor can walk along the narrow, cobblestone streets to see the remains of former churches, arches and plazas plus convents and monasteries. A stunning example is the San Francisco Church with its twisted columns, religious statues and bell towers. This Spanish-American Baroque monastery was built in 1702 and destroyed in 1773.