Forbes Central America, published across six countries in the region, has spotlighted the renewed Historic Center of San Salvador in its latest monthly edition, describing it as an area once “hit by earthquakes and forgotten by previous governments.”
According to the magazine, the Salvadoran capital’s downtown now blends history and nostalgia for citizens who emigrated and return to witness the country’s transformation. “Like an anchor of light visible from different points of San Salvador, the National Library (BINAES) is now the meeting point for locals and foreigners in the city center,” the publication notes. The library was donated by the Chinese government during a visit by President Nayib Bukele to China and has become one of the area’s main attractions.
The article recalls that the urban transformation began when Bukele served as mayor between 2015 and 2018, initiating street cleanups, dignified spaces for street vendors, and preparations to turn the area into a tourism hub. “The changes came gradually, recovering plazas and streets. Many believed it would be temporary, but time proved the now president right,” Forbes states.
Six years later, the Historic Center has consolidated itself as a safe, vibrant tourist destination, attracting private investment in restaurants, hotels, and new businesses. “Today, streets once marked by civil war and gang violence have become a secure and lively meeting point where Salvadorans reconnect with their history and heritage,” the magazine adds.
Renovation efforts intensified with the creation of the Historic Center Authority of San Salvador (Aplan), the institution responsible for planning, regulating, and guiding urban development in the area to ensure the continued rehabilitation of the capital.