Plaza de España

The Plaza de España in Hagåtña was the courtyard of the Spanish governor's palace, which stood here from the eighteenth century until it was destroyed in 1944, and three pieces survive: the Chocolate House, a small domed pavilion where the governor's wife served chocolate to guests, the arched Almacén gate, and part of the palace wall. The rest is open lawn with the cathedral alongside. The palace housed the Spanish governors from the eighteenth century and then the American naval administration until 1944.

What you actually see

• The Chocolate House - the small domed pavilion used for entertaining.
• The Almacén arch - the surviving gate of the palace complex.
• The palace wall - the fragment left standing of the main building.
• The open plaza - the courtyard the complex was arranged around.

When to go

December to June is the drier season. Mornings are cooler for walking. Public events are sometimes held on the plaza.

Honest expectations

Only fragments survive and the plaza is mostly lawn. Interpretation is limited to a few signs. An hour covers it fully.

Nearby

Hagåtña's cathedral is alongside, and Fort Santa Águeda is above.