Places to visit in Campeche
Architecture

The Campeche Cathedral

The Campeche Cathedral
Architecture

The Campeche Cathedral

Calle 10, Centro, Camepche, Camp.. 24000.

Free

Monday through Sunday 07:00 am - 08:00 pm

Information

Without a doubt, the most important church in Campeche is the Cathedral.  Its history goes back to the 16th century, when in the year 1540, given the strategic location of the port, Francisco de Montejo “El Mozo” decided to found a Spanish settlement which would come to be called "San Francisco de Campeche." The location of the original church was were the current Cathedral stands, and the surrounding places shaped the physiognomy of the area. From 1540 on, the secular clergy took over the administration of the parish, and it was within the jurisdictional limits of the diocese of Chiapas that covered Chiapas, Coatzacoalcos, Tabasco, Champoton, Yucatan and Cozumel. The growth of the town of Campeche was slow, as was the construction of the parish church. In the 17th century, a larger building was began, but construction could not continue due to lack of funds. In the early 18th century thanks to the donations made by Margarita Guerra, it was possible to finish the work, and the church was dedicated on July 14, 1705. The church still did not have then the current size that it is.  It only reached the baptistery and didn’t have any towers, but only one bell similar to the Church of San Francisco. An expansion was carried out in 1758 at the hands of the priest and vicar Jose Manuel Najera, and was finished in 19th century. Over the years other elements have been added to the Cathedral, giving it its current appearance. The main attraction of the Campeche Cathedral is its facade, which consists of a carved stone doorway with two bodies framed by two fluted pilasters on pedestals and a simple curved top with a wriggler on the shaft and the pilasters. What stands out of the architecture are the slender towers, each consisting of three square bodies and smooth walls. The Cathedral is without a doubt a very beautiful building that is caressed by the sea breeze and the passage of time.

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Multimedia

Photo Gallery

Campeche at night
Campeche at night
The main entrance and archway
The main entrance and archway
The Cathedral bell towers
The Cathedral bell towers
The interior and main alter
The interior and main alter
Campeche at night
Campeche at night
Contacto

Location on map

Calle 10, Centro, Camepche, Camp.. 24000.