The city of León was founded in 1523 by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba about 30 miles from its current location (Leon Viejo), but after the Momotombo volcano erupted in 1610, it was moved to its present location on the ancient Indian village of Subtiaba.
Description and main attractions
What remains of the second oldest city in Nicaragua was re-discovered in the '60s because it was buried by the continued expulsion of ash and volcanic rocks.
What you can see are the settlements of the houses and the restoration of some important buildings, such as churches.
Due to the excavation, is known that the city had a grid-shaped layout, similar to most cities of Latin America at that time, and had three monasteries: "La Merced", "San Pedro" and "San Francisco" located in the main streets of the city and in use until about 1560. Of these monasteries, La Merced has been found in the extreme south of the ruins, as well as San Pedro.
Location:
Located in the town of Puerto Momotombo, Municipality of La Paz Centro, León Department.
Getting There:
To go from Managua to Leon you can take the new road to Leon, which is in perfect condition, and will get you there in approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.