Acatenango is one of three volcanoes surrounding the town
of Antigua in Guatemala.
The other two being Agua and Fuego.
Prior to 1773, when Antigua was largely destroyed by an earthquake,
it was the Capital of Guatemala.
The capital was transfered to Guatemala City but the old Antigua
coat of arms was retained.
The coat of arms thereby became that of Guatemala City and
the country.
This situation remained in effect until 1871 when the new
Guatemalan coat of arms was adopted.
The coat of arms remains on Guatemala city and Sacatepequez,
the municipality containing Antigua.
Acatenango is an andesitic stratovolcano rising to a height
of 13,900 feet.
It last erupted in 1972 with a VEI magnitude of 1.
Its summit is often used to observe eruptions of its twin,
Fuego.
Eric Dyck is thanked for his help with Guatemalan history
and geography,
and for the two stamps below, showing the early Guatemalan
coat of arms.
The stamp below courtesy of Lisa Heiman.
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