About Mexico
Mexico is a paradise of tourists and witnesses a large number of travelers who visit this place because of its rich and varied heritage sites. Among its busy life, shopping joints, beaches, and dining joints, there are a lot of ancient places that one gets to enjoy. A visit to Mexico is incomplete if you do not pay a visit to the Metropolitan Cathedral. The city is regarded as the cultural capital of North America and is also the most populous one.
There are a lot of places that one must visit in Mexico which range from monuments to churches and from beaches to beautiful sights. Here we will discuss the world famous Metropolitan Cathedral built in the city and get to know it in detail.
Let’s get to dig about the place in detail and book our tickets to visit this beautiful monument:
What is a cathedral?
A cathedral is a place that consists of the seat of the bishop and is of great importance in the Christian religion. It is a building that depicts the power of the church and also shows the wealth of the Roman Catholics. The cathedrals describe the faith in various forms and also showcases the ancient artifacts that give a detailed summary of the religion to the ordinary people.
What is the Metropolitan Cathedral?
It is one of the most important places in Mexico. Metropolitan Cathedral is the seat of Catholic archdiocese. The site is built on top of the Aztec temple which was once considered as the center of the activities carried on by the church.
It’s beautiful architecture, enormous size and great history make it one of the most visited places in Mexico.
History about the Metropolitan Cathedral
After the pre-Hispanic city got destroyed; ultimately, it was decided to build a church on the remains of the temples to protect the artifacts that were buried deep inside. The Metropolitan Cathedral was a church in its initial times and was declared to be a cathedral after innovations to its constructions.
There were a lot of conflicts and fights related to the Cathedral. Also, a lot of renovations were done to the structure to save it from sinking. This Cathedral today’s acts as a house for several important religious artifacts, some of which are still buried in under the building and some have been stored in the vaults.
There were also a lot of cultural differences that led to the delay in the construction of the Cathedral but finally, it was successful and was opened for tourists.
Construction of the Metropolitan Cathedral
The historic building is more than 350 feet tall and 200 feet high, and its bell towers are 215 feet high, which consists of 25 bells in all. Tourists can notice a combination of different styles, including Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassic in its architecture.
The interiors of the Metropolitan Cathedral are made up of five naves with 14 rooms, building, chorus, crypts, etc. There are five significant altarpieces in the Cathedral, namely:
• The altar of forgiveness
• The platform of kings
• The primary altar
• The shrine of Jesus resurrected,
• Altar of the Virgin of Zapopan.
The choir of the Cathedral is richly ornamented in a Baroque style, with two great organs and furniture brought from the colonies of the Spanish Empire in Asia. The door surrounding the choir has been brought from Macau.
Major attractions of the Metropolitan Cathedral
The Cathedral consists of several paintings that have been painted by some of the famous painters across the globe like Juan Correa and Cristobal de Villalpando. The most famous pictures of the monument are the assumptions of the virgin and woman of the apocalypse.
Is the metropolitan cathedral sinking?
The Metropolitan Cathedral has been constructed with an uneven floor because of which its floor is sinking into the ground. It is not just the Cathedral, but the entire Mexico city is considered to be sinking beneath the ground. The major problem that the archaeologists face is that the monument is sinking unevenly, which will lead to the fall of the entire structure without any notice.
There have been several attempts and precautions that have been taken for the protection of the Cathedral, but because of its vast size, it is impossible to save it ultimately.
Facts about the Metropolitan Cathedral
• Anyone who has been to Mexico City must be familiar with the importance of this large structure that is built in the center. It took around three centuries for the completion of the Cathedral.
• The mixture of different styles of architecture caused a delay in its completion
• Numerous artwork and relics are stored inside the structure out of which only some of them are displayed for the common public.
• The place has also been a secret spot for meetings and conferences of higher authorities of the religion.
• It is the oldest Cathedral built in America
• A major flood that struck the city caused damage to the structure which led to the delay in its construction.
• The outdoor architecture of the Cathedral is magnificent. The entire structure shows the richness of the religion and also depicts how brilliant art was in that era.
• The major attraction of this Cathedral is the bells that mesmerize the tourists with their beauty.
• The Cathedral has 16 chapels inside, and only 14 are open at a time for the public. All the chapels are named after the saints according to the theme
• It is also the headquarter for the Roman Catholics
At the end
Christianity has always been a religion that has a lot of secrets and a rich heritage that is so mesmerizing that it keeps you stuck to it. Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico is a structure that shouts about the vast culture of the religion and has eye dropping beautiful architecture that people from all across the world come to see. A treasure box of paintings, relics, and artworks from great painters this is a must visit place if you are planning a visit to Mexico in your vacations.