Tacuba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tacuba
Municipality
Tacuba Location in El Salvador
Country	El Salvador
Department	Ahuachapán Department
Elevation	2,293 ft (699 m)
Population  (2013)
• Total	31,209

Tacuba is a cool place in El Salvador! It's a municipality located in the Ahuachapán department. Think of it like a town or a small region with its own local government.

Exploring the Church of Tacuba

The historic Church of Tacuba is found in the Villa of Tacuba. This town is the main part of the municipality. It's about 14 kilometers from the city of Ahuachapán. The church stands at about 700 meters above sea level.

History of the Church

This amazing church was built a long time ago. It was constructed in the 16th or early 17th century. An officer named Juan Clemente and his son, also named Juan, were responsible for building it.

What the Church Looked Like

The front of the church was made of wood. It had a special style called Baroque. Inside, there were four unique "Solomon columns." These columns twist like a spiral. There were also two arched spaces for statues. The church had an opening to let light inside.

Damage from Earthquakes

Sadly, the top part of the church was damaged. An earthquake in 1773 caused a lot of destruction. This earthquake also hit the city of Antigua, Guatemala. Another earthquake in 1982 caused even more damage. After that, only the front wall and part of a side wall remained.

Special Features Still Remaining

Even after the damage, some cool parts of the church still exist. There are two small chapels built into the walls. A beautiful stone font used for baptisms is also still there. In 1858, people wrote that there was a "beautiful ruined temple."

The Name Tacuba

A document from 1769 tells us more about the church's history. It also mentions that Tacuba was first settled by the Pipiles people. They called it Tacupán. This word comes from Nahuatl. It means "patio" or "ball game field."

See also

In Spanish: Tacuba (El Salvador) para niños