Puebla Cathedral

Why visit

Building began in 1575, and Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza consecrated the cathedral in 1649, though the towers were not finished until the following century. It is one of the largest and finest colonial cathedrals in Mexico, built of grey stone in a sober Renaissance style that gives way to rich decoration inside.

What to see

• The towers: at around 70 metres, they are among the tallest church towers in Mexico. Local legend says angels carried the great bell to the top of one of them overnight, which is one reason Puebla is called the City of Angels.
• The high altar: a free-standing altar of marble, onyx and gilded bronze under the dome, finished in the early 19th century to a design by the architect and sculptor Manuel Tolsá.
• The Altar of the Kings: a gilded baroque altarpiece behind the high altar.
• The choir and organs: carved wooden choir stalls inlaid with fine woods, between two great organs.
• The side chapels: fourteen chapels lined with paintings, carvings and iron screens.

The best views

• From the zócalo, especially at dusk, when the towers are lit up.
• From the rooftop terrace café of the Museo Amparo, two blocks away.
• From the rooftop bars and hotel terraces around the square.

Tips

• The cathedral is a working church. Dress modestly, keep your voice down and do not walk around during Mass.
• Hours change for services and feast days, and it usually closes for a time in the early afternoon.
• Combine it with the Palafoxiana library next door and the Rosary Chapel, three blocks north, in our one-day Puebla itinerary.