Cathedral in Guadalajara, Mexico

by Martín Casillas

Cathedral in Guadalajara, Mexico
1561 - 1618
Architecture

Details

It is built in the Spanish Renaissance style, except its Neo-gothic spires.  The cathedral occupies an area that is 77.8 x 72.75 meters. It contains altars dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Zapopan (patron saint of Guadalajara), Saint Dominic, St. Nicholas, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Christopher and St. John of God. The altar is made of marble and silver. The stained glass was imported from France.

The cathedral houses the mummified body of Santa Innocencia (a young girl from the 1700s who, according to legend, was killed by her father for converting to Catholicism) 

About This Artwork

The Guadalajara Cathedral or Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, located in Guadalajara, Jalisco, is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and a minor basilica.

The first cathedral was built in 1541 on the site of the present Templo de Santa Maria de Gracia. This primitive church was built with adobe and a thatched roof. In 1574 a fire severely damaged the building. Work began on a new cathedral and was completed in 1618. 1818, an earthquake shook the city, causing the towers and the dome to collapse. These were replaced, but the new structures were destroyed by a subsequent earthquake in 1849. New towers were completed in 1854.

The cathedral continues to be in danger: it was damaged by earthquakes in 1932, 1957, 1979, 1985, 1995 and 2003. Current threats include a slight tilt of the north tower and structural damage to the dome.