San Salvador

San Salvador

As the capital and largest city of El Salvador and the department of the same name, San Salvador is the political, cultural, educational and financial center of the country. Located in the Salvadoran highlands, the city is surrounded by volcanoes and is prone to earthquakes. The city hosts the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Salvador, as well as many Protestant branches of Christianity, among them Evangelicals, Latter-day Saints, Baptists and Pentecostals. The city is found in the Boquerón Volcano Valley, which is a region of high seismic activity. The average altitude of the city is 659 meters above sea level, but its highest point is 1186 meters, and its lowest point is 596 meters. The municipality is bordered by the Acelhuate River to the east, the San Jacinto Hill to the southeast, the El Picacho Mountains and the Bicentennial Park to the west, the San Antonio River to the north, the Cordillera del Balsamo to the south, and in the west the Boquerón Volcano and Cerro El Picacho, the highest point of the municipality. El Boquerón Volcano has been dormant since its last eruption in 1917, but recently has been active. San Salvador has a rich Spanish heritage and in its historic center are buildings of an architectural style not found in any other place in Latin America. The Metropolitan Cathedral combines Baroque and eclectic architectural styles. The National Palace is a mix of Gothic, Neoclassical and Renaissance Revival architecture. The National Theater is built in the French Renaissance Revival style with Rococo, Romantic and Art Nouveau architectural details.