Metropolitan Cathedral Mexico City

The Metropolitan Cathedral, or, as its called by the city’s inhabitants, the “Catedral Metropolitana”, located beside the Main Square, was the very first cathedral built in La Nueva Espana, and is one of the oldest on both American continents. Built with a baroque style facade and 64 meter high Neoclassical styled towers (holding a grand total of 18 bells). The site stands as a monument to the history of Mexican culture, having been a temple before Hernan Cortes won a battle against the Aztecs here and ordered the construction of a Catholic church in the spot. This project began in 1573 and was completed in 1667 except for the bell towers, designed by Manuel Tolsa, which were not added until 1813.