Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel

Otherwise known as la Catedral, the parroquia was built between 1765 and 1782 on the site of a simpler wooden church and is a fine example of late colonial architecture. Although the design is relatively simple, the vaulted ceiling and domed altar are impressive.

The incredibly intricate gold-and-silver altarpiece sculpted by Guatemalan artist Vicente Gálvez is the church’s artistic highlight. Presiding over the altar is a statue of San Miguel, the patron saint of Tegucigalpa [1]. Several sculptures and paintings decorate the interior, including ones by famed colonial artist José Miguel Gómez.

The cathedral was damaged so badly in the earthquake of 1808 it was practically abandoned for almost 30 years before being reinforced. A 1975 earthquake caused further damage, which has since been repaired. The church’s exterior was restored in 2009 and repainted peach, its original color. Inexplicably, picture-taking is not allowed inside here, nor in La Merced [2] or Los Dolores [3].