The Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago de Guatemala faces the Palacio Nacional across the Plaza de la Constitución and forms the other anchor of the historic centre. Construction began in 1782 in neoclassical style, replacing an earlier colonial church, and the cathedral was consecrated in 1815. The broad yellow facade with its three cupolas is the defining image of Zona 1's skyline.
The interior is large and cool — a relief from the heat of the plaza — with a long nave, side chapels with colonial-era religious art, and the crypt beneath containing the remains of several former presidents and bishops. The plaza in front of the cathedral is the traditional gathering place for political demonstrations and public celebrations, and on weekends the esplanade fills with families, street vendors, and the occasional protest.