Cathedral Basilica of San Salvador

Eighteenth-century cathedral with a celebrated baroque pulpit

Facing the Plaza Belgrano on the western side, the Cathedral Basilica is the spiritual heart of Jujuy and one of the most important religious buildings in the Argentine northwest. The current structure dates from the mid-nineteenth century, replacing earlier colonial churches on the same site, but it incorporates older treasures — most famously its baroque pulpit, a profusion of carved cherubs and vines covered in gold leaf.

The interior is plainer than the elaborate pulpit might suggest, with whitewashed walls offsetting the gilded details. The cathedral is also the seat of the Diocese of Jujuy and a centre of the city's religious life. Services punctuate the day; otherwise, drop in to see the pulpit and the tomb of General Manuel Eduardo Arias, who fought alongside Belgrano during the wars of independence.

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The wooden pulpit, carved by indigenous artisans in the early eighteenth century and covered in gold leaf, is considered one of the finest in South America. It was rescued from an earlier church on the site before fire destroyed the original building in 1843.