Jaro Cathedral — formally the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary — is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Jaro, one of the oldest dioceses in the Philippines. The current white baroque facade dominates the plaza in the old Jaro district, north of the city centre, and has become the most widely reproduced image of Iloilo. Pope John Paul II visited in 1981 during his Philippine tour.
The free-standing Jaro Belfry on the opposite side of the plaza dates from the 18th century and is visually striking in its separation from the church proper. The surrounding Jaro district, originally a separate town before being incorporated into Iloilo City, retains a concentration of old Spanish colonial houses and some of the finest ancestral homes in the Western Visayas. It is worth exploring on foot after visiting the cathedral.