As national libraries go, San Salvador’s is possibly the most iconic. It was built with a $54 million cooperation grant from the People’s Republic of China and opened in November 2023. It has specialized zones, including children’s areas, gaming sections, reading rooms, robotics and 3D modeling labs, and a digital archive with millions of resources.

The Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador sits on the opposite side of the plaza, creating quite the juxtaposition of modern and classical architecture.