Wednesday, December 27, 2017, Corinto (Leon)

We sailed from Puntarenas yesterday about 6 PM and arrived Corinto, Nicaragua around noon today.

Nicaragua’s former capital, one of the country’s most important cities for its rich culture and history was on our agenda today. We met our guide and rode to León (Lion), a rich collection of Spanish colonial churches, commercial and secular buildings, and private residences. The city was established on its present site after an earthquake destroyed the old town in 1609. Today, its old architecture is lovingly preserved. Single-floor houses are topped with brick and wood roofs and colonial-era streets evoke the spirit of Spain. 

We visited the colonial-baroque Metropolitan Cathedral, also called the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of León. The largest in Central America, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the final resting place of Rubén Darío, the father of Modern Spanish Literature.

The church still had its manger scene still up.  It is the most comprehensive, meaningful, and complete manger scene we had ever seen.

The tomb of Rubén Darío, the father of Modern Spanish Literature is inside the church.

Our guide took us up to the roof top of the church so we could see the bell tower, to roof, and volcanoes around the area and another church.

In front of the church is a statue of a lion and there was a ring of four in the middle of the city square.

The city square had numerous souvenir booths.  

As we were leaving town we passed many horse-drawn carts.