My daughter and I visited the city of Guadalajara, Mexico earlier this year and today we continue our series of photographs from that charming city (scroll down the page for links to the previous posts). In this post, we shine a light on La Catedral de Guadalajara or Catedral de la Asunción de María Santísima Guadalajara Cathedral (Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady) aka the Guadalajara Cathedral, located in Guadalajara’s historic center. It is built in the Spanish Renaissance style, except its Neo-gothic spires, and is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara.
The first cathedral was built in 1541 but was severely damaged by a fire in 1574. A new cathedral, designed by master Spanish architect Martín Casillas, was completed in February of 1618 but that cathedral’s towers and dome were destroyed by an earthquake in 1818 and after being rebuilt, partially destroyed again by an earthquake in 1849.
The new towers were designed by architect Manuel Gómez Ibarra. Construction took three years and were completed in 1854. The altar is made of marble and silver. The stained glass was imported from France. Pope Pius XII elevated the cathedral to the rank of Minor Basilica.
Currently, the cathedral continues to be in danger: it was damaged by earthquakes in 1932, 1957, 1979, 1985, 1995 and 2003. Current threats include a slight tilt of the north tower and structural damage to the dome. The cathedral is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and there is no fee to enter.
Enjoy the photographs…
Santa Innocencia
The cathedral houses the mummified body of Santa Innocencia (a young girl from the 1700s who, according to legend, was killed by her father for converting to Catholicism). She received plenty of attention from visitors to the cathedral…
View of the cathedral at night from Plaza de la Liberación, the largest plaza in Guadalajara.
The Guadalajara Cathedral is a must-see attraction, as are the many other attractions located nearby (more on that in future posts). If you haven’t considered Mexico’s second largest city as a travel destination, the forthcoming series of photographs will surely convince you to do so (if these haven’t already done that). Stay tuned for more from Guadalajara, Lake Chapala (Mexico’s largest freshwater lake), the arts and shopping village of Tlaquepaque, and Los Guachimontones, a UNESCO World Heritage site an hour’s drive from Guadalajara.
Learn more about visiting this vibrant city at visitmexico.com
Photographs taken with the Sony A7III using the Tamron 17-28 f/2.8, the Canon EF 135mm f/2 using the Sigma MC-11 Mount Lens Adapter, and the Sony 55mm f/1.8 lenses (tack sharp lens well worth the price).
Check out these additional photography posts from my recent trip to Guadalajara, Mexico:
And check out these additional photography posts from my past visits to Mexico:
Like what you see? Photographs are available in all shapes and sizes on my SmugMug site. From simple prints to wall art, magnets, mugs, mousepads and phone cases. Browse the collection by clicking the image below…
