The Metropolitan Cathedral of Jesús del Buen Pastor stands at the centre of the city on Avenida Alajuela, a neoclassical and baroque building that serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Portoviejo. The current structure was restored after suffering significant damage in the 2016 earthquake. The interior is calm and cool — a welcome contrast to the heat outside — and the twin-towered facade faces the main square, which is the social heart of the old city.
The archdiocese dates to 1870, making this one of the older Catholic institutions on Ecuador's Pacific coast. The cathedral reopened fully after the earthquake in 2019.