San Sebastian Cathedral, known to everyone as Tarlac Cathedral, is the seat of the Diocese of Tarlac and the most prominent building in the town centre. The current Neo-Gothic structure went up after the Second World War — the older wood-and-stone church on the same site was destroyed during the fighting in 1945. The interior is tall and white, with a long nave, pointed arches, and stained glass that catches the late-afternoon sun.
The cathedral sits next to the city's Plaza Maniago, the main public square and the venue for the annual San Sebastian fiesta in January. Saturday evening Mass is busy; the rest of the time the cathedral is open and quiet, a welcome air-conditioned pause from the heat of the streets outside.