Metropolitan Cathedral Buenos Aires is the city’s main Catholic church, located on the corner of Plaza de Mayo square.
The church building that houses Buenos Aires cathedral has been rebuilt several times over the years to its current form, starting from the first, more modest version that was built here in the 16th century.
Today’s monumental cathedral represents several architectural styles, including 18th century central nave, as well as towerless Neoclassical facade from the 19th century.
PHOTO: A view to the cathedral building from next to the Buenos Aires’ colonial era administrative palace, Cabildo.
PHOTO: Cathedral facade, as seen from its Avenida Rivadavia, which goes through Puerto Madera district towards the city’s harbor.
PHOTO: A bas-relief artwork on the cathedral’s facade, by French sculptor Joseph Dubourdie, from 1863, portraying Joseph’s reunion with his brothers and father (Jacob) in Egypt. The artwork is allegorical to Argentina’s unity after the country’s civil wars. Dubourdie also was responsible for designing the church building’s Corinthian style columns.
The current format for the cathedral building is from the latest, 19th century rebuilding by French architects Prosper Catelin and Pierre Benoit, when the facade, inspired by Palais Bourbon in Paris, was added to it.
Of the beautiful details, earlier additions included the cathedral’s impressive dome, a design by Portuguese architect Manuel Álvarez de Rocha, in 1770.
In addition to the external highlights, Buenos Aires cathedral also includes magnificent interior spaces.
Among the best highlights within these interiors are, for example, Venetian floor mosaics from 1907 (designed by Italian Carlo Morra), Rococo style altar artworks by Spanish sculptor Isidro Lorea from 1785, and General San Martín’s mausoleum, which is guarded by statues that are allegorical to Argentina, Peru, and Chile.