The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is known to be the largest and oldest cathedral in Latin…read moreAmerica. It took 3 centuries to build and features baroque, neoclassical, and neo-renaissance design. With this cathedral being so massive, there are 14 chapels, numerous of alters, beautifully painted domes and stunning architecture. There is also an underground crypt (if you want to visit that, you will need to enter through the Templo Mayor Museum, north of the cathedral, or across the street from here). Because most of Mexico City was built on an emptied lakebed, the ground is sinking, which has caused for uneven ground/ structure that has caused for the cathedral to be tilted towards one side. It is free to enter this cathedral and visitors are able to take as many photos as they wish, but no flash. The cathedral is open every day from 8 am to 8 pm. You can also purchase tickets if you wish to climb stairs up to the bell towers that is offered several times a day. But please note that the tour is only offered in Spanish. Also there was a large earthquake in 2017 that caused damage to the bell towers so part of that section is not available for walking by. During our visit, we saw that two services were going on at the same time. We also saw some of the largest organs that were built during this time period in this cathedral, which really was impressive. We really wanted to check out the bell towers tour but it was not available on the day we came. I really did enjoy walking through this incredibly large cathedral and taking my time to look at everything (I also greatly appreciate the air conditioning to get a little rest from the warm weather on the day of our visit). The photos posted here really does not do justice to how gorgeous this holy and historic site is. Definitely worth a visit if you are visiting Mexico City's zocaldo, or the historic center.

When I was a kid my parents took me to Mexico City-I think I was like 5 or 6 years old.During that…read moretrip I took a picture in front of the Basilica with my mother.That picture was in the hall of every house we ever lived in ever since. Fast forward 45+ years later I'm finally making my way back to Mexico City and one of the top things I wanted to do is to try and find the place I took that picture at the historic church located near the Zocalo. Funny thing happens to your memory after 45 years and I couldn't quite locate where I took that picture,I guess on this trip I would have to settle for visiting this amazing historic religious site. When I got to the church,I was surprised how many vendors were located outside of the church,selling their wares.They were everywhere out there-I surely was tempted to pick up a few things,but I didn't as that wasn't the purpose of this visit. Once inside I was immediately taken back by the sheer size of this holy place.The grandeur of the interior of the building was breathtaking. I could've spent hours in there looking at all the artwork and statues that lined the sides of this place of worship-just reading the stories and seeing the amazing displays of saints and religious figures had me mesmerized. It took me back to the days of my youth when I was an altar boy for many years at the Catholic church in my town. This church has a connecting older church that serves as an alternate place to worship-admire art and pray-But it was under major construction when I visited,so was not able to spend much time in the connecting buildings. Upon leaving the building I was kinda torn how such a very special place has turned into such a tourist attraction-I mean there is a vendor inside the church selling crosses and candles and other things to commemorate one's visit to this church. I get why they do it,just didn't like how it made me feel seeing it. That being said-this church is truly a must visit when visiting Mexico City for anyone who loves history-loves architecture-loves Catholic churches or just wants some quiet time to pray. It truly was one of the highlights of my trip and a place I think back to fondly when I reminisce about my trip-now if I could've only found that spot I took that picture so very long ago.

Iglesia de San Francisco or Church of San Francisco is located in Centro Histórico (or the historic…read morecenter). This church has endeared many histocial events. After the Reform War (in 1861), most of the property of this church was seized by the government. Unfortunately most of the church was destroyed and demolished for construction to make room for new roads. Other parts of the old building that are still standing today are a Methodist Church and also a bakery (Panadería Ideal). The reason why these buildings are still here is because it cost the government more to demolish these buildings than to leave them standing. So to get inside the church, you have to walk down some stairs. Why you ask? Well because Mexico City is sinking. A lot of historical buildings are actually sinking. When the Spanish had conquered the Aztecs, they drained Texcoco Lake in order to use the lake bed as a foundation for the city. The lake bed is drying up (and also having the weight of buildings built on top of it doesn't help), which is why it is sinking at such a rapid rate for those that are interested to know. Anyways, for those interested in visiting this church, it is free to enter. When my husband and I visited this church a few Sundays ago, we arrived around 1:40 pm. A little before 2 pm, there was a church service that was just starting. Not sure how often services occur, but it is possible you may be lucky to see one whenever you visit. There is also a small gift shop area in case you wish to purchase religious items. And towards the outside entrance, there were some baked goods that were being sold by some of the nuns that we were told the proceeds would go to help out the church. The architecture of this church truly is beautiful and a feast for the eyes. And really is amazing that these church buildings are still standing with the paintings on the walls and the alters inside. Definitely worth a visit if you are in downtown historic center.

A visit here was an accident and a wonderful one at that. We were walking back from Zocalo to our…read morehotel when we saw this spot and decided to check it out. It's a spectacular church and has been around from 1542! Check out the pictures.

To be honest, Basílica de Guadalupe was not originally my list of places to visit when I was…read morevacationing in Mexico City last month and almost missed it (it just wasn't on our radar when we were planning our trip). But luckily a friend of mine (who is a local) had suggested meeting here and am glad that she had. And because she actually went to the private all girl Catholic school many years ago (she told me that private schools of one gender is no longer allowed in Mexico) that is right behind the old basilica, she knew this place very well and gave us a fabulous and well informed tour. For those of you unfamiliar with the history, Juan Diego, an Indigenous Native America, who was poor, had seen a vision of the Virgin Mary. She actually appeared to him 4 times. She had told him to tell the priest to build a church in her honor on Tepeyac Hill (where she appeared to him). The priest did not believe Juan Diego and so he asked for him to show proof of the Virgin Mary, in which she had given him roses to bring to the priest. What is very unique about this is that these roses normally do not grow during that specific season and is also not native to Mexico. Also on his tilma (or cloak) had an image of the Virgin Mary that appeared. The image was not painted or printed on. Religious leaders see this as a miracle. But also what is miraculous is that the tilma has survived a nitric acid spill and also a bomb blast in 1921 that destroyed the alter but somehow the cloth was spared and left untouched/ undamaged. So there is both an old basílica and a new basílica that you can visit (which is free). The old basílica is the original church that was built in honor of the Virgin Mary. Construction began in 1531 and finished in 1709. This was the original place of where the tilma was hung for display. But because most of Mexico City was built on an emptied lakebed, the ground is sinking, which has caused for uneven ground/ structure that has caused for the building to be tilted. So when you walk inside here, you will notice the shift, so be careful if you decide to walk up to the alter and sit in one of the pews in the front. Because of this, the tilma was moved to the new basillica. Please note that it is safe to enter the building. This old basillica was closed to the public in 1974 (and reopened in 2000) so that it could be constructed on so that it could be safe for the public. The new basillica is large and very round, looks like a stadium. This was built in 1974 and was completed in 1976. Pedro Ramirez Vasquez was the architect of this beautiful sanctuary. What is really amazing and thoughtful about this sanctuary and shape is that no matter where you sit, you have a view of the tilma at the alter. Church services occur every hour and last about 40 minutes for those that are interested in attending. If you wish to get a closer view of the tilma, you can walk down to the viewing area and look up to see it. Nearby this area is also the gift shop in which you can purchase prayer cards, holy water, etc. but you can also purchase religious souvenirs at other places throughout the grounds. There are also other points of interests to walk to on the grounds here but I just wanted to highlight these 2 main sanctuaries. My husband, our friend and I were here for about 3 hours, as we walked everywhere and really took our time to see everything. If you wish to view nearly everything, make sure you bring some sturdy and comfortable walking shoes. Please note that there are bathrooms but require a small fee. I did not use them but I did see a sign for $10 MXN but there are also bathrooms right before entering the grounds here but did not use them and so I am unsure of the price. Overall, we had a wonderful visit and am really glad our friend had suggested it. I think if we came without her, we would not have know as much and would not have appreciated this site as much either.

This is a beautiful spot to visit and you can spend 2-3 hours visiting all the different parts of…read morethe complex. We were able to witness a mass, which was so special. We saw many people making the pilgrimage on their knees. If you don't know the history, the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City is the world's most-visited Catholic pilgrimage site, drawing millions annually to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe. Located at Tepeyac Hill, it marks the 1531 site where the Virgin Mary appeared to Indigenous convert Juan Diego, leaving her miraculous image on his cloak.

This church sits on the northern end of the Plaza de Santo Domingo, a remnant of the Dominican…read moremonastery in the same location originally built in 1526, after the Spanish invasion and subsequent construction of European-styled architecture. The current building is the third iteration built in the 1800s in the same location and considered to be in the Mexican Baroque style with neoclassical elements (such as the main altar) within. Walking into the church initial impression is it feels a bit more austere than some other nearby historic churches since most of the gold, flowery finishes of the altars are inset within the mini chapels on either side of the pews, not immediately visible until you walk up closer. Shaped in the traditional cross formation with main altar at the apse, especially noteworthy are the altars on the right and left transepts, more ornate and arresting with paintings and figures of saints framed by twisting gold columns and filigree. On a Saturday mid-day in January, the church was pretty empty, a few tourists walked in while I was there though otherwise very quiet. There's no admission charge though donations are accepted. For more info: https://www.mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx/venues/temple-of-santo-domingo/?lang=en

I attended 1.5 masses here on Sunday with my boyfriend and his mother and sister. I say 1.5 because…read morewe arrived 15 mins late for the first mass (which starts at 8 am) and his mom didn't want to take communion because we arrived late so we also stayed for the 9 am mass. Each mass was 45 minutes and had 40 or 50 attendees. I'm not Catholic (was raised Lutheran) and I'm not fluent in Spanish (intermediate level) but I really enjoyed the service and I was able to follow along thanks to the bulletin. I did not feel out of place at all; I felt very welcome. I recommend the 9 am mass because that one had a lovely acoustic guitar choir (4 or 5 guys). There were also 2 elementary school girls (altar girls) helping the priest - that was very sweet to see. I did not take communion. The building is very interesting, as it used to be a convent. If you are at all interested in Catholicism, spirituality, comparative religion, or Mexican culture I highly recommend attending mass here. But of course you can just stop by and view the beautiful church! The main altar has marble columns and gold detailing. There are numerous side altars, the most fascinating being the one dedicated to El Señor del Rebozo, who helps women who want to get married! Women looking for a spouse or partner bring their shawls (rebozos) and other items here (one women even left a framed copy of her bachelor's degree diploma). The altar is covered in bright, colorful shawls. I even saw some men praying at this altar, maybe praying for their daughters or sisters. When we exited the church a small market was setting up in the plaza.

As you walk down the Madero Avenue, you will definitely notice this prominent colonial-era church…read more Formerly the Jesuit HQ in Mexico, "La Professa" actually plays an important role in few parts of Mexican history! Dedicated to San Felipe Neri (St. Philip Neri), this Jesuit HQ was also commonly known as "La Professa", or "The House of the Professed" in English. Although it lost prominence after the temporary expulsion of the Jesuits, the church still played few significant roles in Mexican history, including the deliberation to beatify a Mexican favorite, Juan Diego the native who found Our Lady of Guadalupe. However, even without considering the historical significance, "La Professa" is still a beautiful example of Spanish Baroque architecture to admire! Despite the seemingly huge scale that is appears on the outside, the church interior is packed with not only lively holy sculptures but also wonderful art pieces. As you walk down the Madero Avenue, take a quick moment to step inside! Even if the outside is packed with heavy crowd, the church provides a serene refuge from the chaos. Why not take a rest in an artful environment anyway? --- tl;dr version: 1) Formerly Jesuit HQ that played few roles in Mexican history 2) Beautiful Baroque church with many artworks 3) Take a step inside as you stroll through the Madero Avenue

Walking down the street (Donceles to be exact), in the historic district of CDMX, the exterior of…read morethis Baroque-styled church caught my eye--its entrance was a concave gated enclosure that sat back several feet from the rest of the adjacent buildings that stood flush against the sidewalk. Glancing up from the entrance intricate reliefs, Corinthian columns and mini stone sculptures flowed upwards from ornate, geometrically wood-carved doors. Interestingly, this unique entrance was all you could see from the street. The rest of the building was enclosed by the connected surrounding walls. If anything, seeing that "fancy door" if you will, made me more curious; a facade like that was plenty to pique my interest for what could be found within. Walking up to the doorway, I was glad to find the doors open, no entry fee, and my hopes were not dashed! While not the largest inside, it packed a visual punch! Gilded gold altarpieces lined the walls, colorful murals flanked the center altarpiece in the apse at the front of the church. The rings of arches and multicolored figures of saints and cherubs practically emanated a golden glow. Especially noteworthy was the domed skylight which resembled a golden sunflower. Glad I dropped in for a gander! The church holds regular services and events, for more info: http://elpilarlaensenanza.blogspot.com/?m=1

I'm not Catholic, but I absolutely love Mexican churches and cathedrals. This is a beautiful…read morechurch. It's not that big, but is richly decorated and well taken care of with a calming, meditative atmosphere. I highly recommend popping in for a visit if you're in the area.