The metropolitan cathedral of Natal is dedicated to Our Lady of the Presentation, a Marian devotion that has been central to the city's religious life since colonial times. The current building dates from the 20th century and replaces earlier church structures on the same site. The exterior is not particularly striking, but the interior is spacious and the stained glass lets in good light.
The cathedral sits near the Praça André de Albuquerque in Cidade Alta, the historic upper district. It is an active parish and attending a morning Mass is a way to see the building in use. The area around the cathedral is one of the few parts of Natal where you can still sense the scale and rhythm of the original colonial city.