Catedral Metropolitana, Mexico City

"With much fuller stomachs, we headed to the Grand Catedral. Its grand orange facade stood out, even in this huge square with other ornate and stunning buildings. A lofty tower sat on either end and three large archways marked the entrances, although only one was open. There was a long queue to get in, but as always, there was no way Dominica was going to do things the conventional way."


The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary of Mexico City(Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de María) is the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. It is situated atop the former Aztec sacred precinct near the Templo Mayor on the northern side of the Zocalo in downtown Mexico City.


After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the conquistadors decided to build their church on the site of the Templo Mayor of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan to consolidate Spanish power over the newly-conquered domain.Hernán Cortés and the other conquistadors used the stones from the destroyed temple of the Aztec god of war Huitzilopochtli, principal deity of the Aztecs, to build the church.

Mexico City Cathedral, with the Metropolitan Tabernacle to the right.

Interior of Mexico City Cathedral

Alter of Forgiveness