Granada, Nicaragua

Granada is a city in western Nicaragua (1,040 km²), and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 110,326 (2003), it is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities both economically and politically. It has a rich colonial heritage, seen in its architecture and layout.Founded in 1524 by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and one of the first European cities in mainland Americas. Unlike other cities who claim the same, the city of Granada was not only the settlement of the conquest, but also a city registered in official records of the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castile in Spain.Granada is also known as La Gran Sultana, by its Moorish and Andalusian appearance, unlike its sister city of León and historical rival, which has Castilian trends, both of the Baroque time.