Oaxaca Cathedral, Oaxaca
Oaxaca Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana de Oaxaca) is an imposing sight on the Alameda de León in Oaxaca's city center.
The cathedral, originally erected in 1553, had to be extensively rebuilt in 1730 after a series of earthquakes and fires, which explains its solid walls and asymmetrical towers.
The cathedral's attractive Baroque façade includes a fine relief of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary above the central door. The heavy, elaborate frame around the picture and the highly stylized wavelike clouds next to the cherubs are distinctive features of Oaxacan Baroque. An uncommon and quite lovely detail is how the Virgin's cape and its folds are depicted in angular lines and facets.
The interior was plundered during the Wars of Reform, so is not as interesting as the intricate exterior. One highlight is the splendid bronze altar, which was crafted in Italy. A chapel at the back of the church, left of the altar, houses the revered crucifix of El Señor del Rayo (Our Lord of the Lightning Bolt), the only piece to survive a fire that started when lightning struck the thatch roof of the original structure.
There's no clapper in the bell, because it is said that it started to ring on its own accord back in the 18th century.
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of Oaxaca Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of Oaxaca from space on our Oaxaca Map.
| Location: | On the zócalo (Plaza de Armas), but facing the Alameda de León, Centro Histórico, Oaxaca, Mexico |
| Phone: | No phone |
| Hours: | Daily 7am-9pm |
| Cost: | Free |
