Located in Plaza Matriz, this catholic church has a beautiful interior and is worth seeing if you're passing by. Many notable Uruguayans are interred here, including former presidents, military leaders and priests. The cathedral was declared a National Historic Monument in 1975. As an added bonus, there was a fair in the plaza when I visited on a Saturday and you could buy souvenirs such as mate gourds at reasonable prices.
This House of GOD is not just another Olde Church. There is a different aura about it. With the blend of statuary, art, and artifacts this church has it's own character. Slowly move through the church and take it all in.
We stopped here for a visit while on our own self-guided walking tour of historic Montevideo, & this cathedral has a beautiful early 19th century interior. The exterior facades don't do it justice. The only thing that would've made our visit more enjoyable would've been pre-printed handouts in the top 5 languages of visiting tourists. I looked all over for printed info explaining the history, a floorplan with explanations of the individual shrines & altars, who the artists & designers were, anything to tell me about the cathedral, etc., but there was no such thing to be found. The only info gleaned at the time of our visit were the names of some of the shrines & chapels, and that's it. Had to learn what scarce information I could find about them afterwards on the internet. I suppose if we'd hired a private guide to take us around the city, we would've learned this info, but we were in the city on a last-minute unscheduled early arrival on a So. American cruise & there was no time or way to plan for it. Uruguay can be very proud of such a beatiful cathedral, but maybe they can have free info for tourists in the future. It would certainly make visits to the cathedral more meaningful.
Not the grandest basilica in the world, but a worthwhile stop-off on the Plaza Matriz (aka Plaza Constitucion). Pretty baptistry and the tombs of Lavalleja and Presidents Suarez and Rivera. Mass schedule is pretty limited
The cathedral is worth a visit, it respires calm and even grandeur. The 'plaza' in front is kept clean, and on saturdays and sundays there is a small antique market.
If you are in Montevideo, visiting the cathedral is a great way to get into the history of the city. If you are lucky (like i was) you can even meet the arch-bishop of Montevideo (uruguay's most important religious authority) and he may want to show you around.
I was lucky to visit during Sunday evening Mass. The Cathedral was packed, giving the mass great atmosphere, and the service was truly impressive (even for a total agnostic). Cathedral's interior is beautifully preserved, and it is one of the more elaborate in South America.
Nice cathedral with many statutes and stain glass windows. Nice respite if it is warm outside and there are many nooks and crannies that are worth exploring.
i have visited 100s of churches in Europe and this is one of the most pristine I have ever seen. Very clean and impressive a mist see when in Montevideo.
Stunning Cathedral in the heart of the old town. Well worth a visit to have a look around and for some quiet reflection.