San Salvador

The history

The capital, ringed by volcanoes and rebuilt many times after earthquakes. Its Metropolitan Cathedral is where Archbishop Óscar Romero — assassinated in 1980 — is buried, and where the funeral massacre helped ignite the civil war.

In brief

San Salvador is the capital and largest city of El Salvador and of its eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The municipality of San Salvador has 525,990 inhabitants (2024). The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, which comprises the capital itself and 13 of its municipalities, has a population of 2,404,097. The urban area of San Salvador has a population of 1,600,000 inhabitants.

Then & now

My photos

Where it is