Morelia Cathedral

The twin-towered Metropolitan Cathedral dominates the Plaza de Armas and is Morelia's most recognisable landmark. Built in warm pink cantera stone, the baroque facade rises in a series of columns and decorative pilasters to two elegant towers that you can see from all over the city. The interior is equally impressive: a long nave with carved stone detailing, gilt altarpieces, and that extraordinary German organ that seems almost too large for the space.

The cathedral took over a century to complete, and you can see the transitions in style as the building rises — the lower sections are more severe Renaissance, while the towers and upper facade become exuberantly baroque. Don't miss the carved choir stalls or the painting of Christ attributed to Cristóbal de Villalpando. Evening mass and the regular organ concerts are the best times to experience the building as a living institution rather than a monument.

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The cathedral's twin towers were completed in stages over more than 200 years — construction began in 1640 and the second tower wasn't finished until 1744. Inside is a 4,600-pipe organ built in Germany in the 1900s, considered one of the finest in Mexico. Evening organ concerts are held regularly and the sound fills every corner of the nave.

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