The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — Xalapa's main cathedral — faces the Parque Juarez and dates in its present form to the 18th century, though construction began in the 16th. The facade is relatively restrained by Mexican Baroque standards, the interior more elaborate, with gilded altarpieces and religious paintings accumulated over centuries. It became a cathedral when Xalapa was elevated to the seat of an archdiocese in 2006.
The building is worth a look primarily for its position — it anchors the main square and gives the city centre its formal focus — and for the contrast with the busy park life surrounding it. Evening Mass draws a local congregation and the building is at its atmospheric best in the late light.