Buenos Aires Cathedral. Buenos Aires - ARGENTINA

The Cathedral of Buenos Aires is located in front of Plaza de Mayo, in the intersection of San Martin and Rivadavia Avenue, the Metropolitan Cathedral is the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Argentina. Besides being located in a key area of ??the City of Buenos Aires, keeps a long history of trouble in its construction. The current building is the sixth building was done in this place from the second foundation of Buenos Aires.

Construction :
The first building in 1593, was an adobe chapel. From that time to this day, there was on this site six different buildings, which had to be renewed by floods, fires, poor materials and structural defects. The final construction began in 1752 under the direction of Italian architect Antonio Masella and completed in 1852, although its decoration ended only in 1911. Its final structure is neoclassical and has a profile little used in cathedrals, giving a closer resemblance to a Greek Catholic temple to classical building. In 1822, the French Prospero Catelin and Pedro Benoit designed the facade, whose 12 columns symbolizing the twelve apostles of Jesus. The interior has naves, side chapels and a cruise ship is under an impressive dome that reaches 41 m in height. Another important detail is the ornament of the front, made in 1860 by the French sculptor Joseph Dubourdieu (author of figure found at the top of the Pyramid of May) that made the bas-relief of the frontispiece, which represents Jacobs encounter with his son Joseph in Egypt. Finally, in 1877 the architect Enrique Alberg reformed one aisle to give the mausoleum of General Jose de San Martin, the sculptor Albert ErnestCarrier-Belleuse. The fourteen Stations of the Cross paintings are the work of Italian Francesco Domenighini, and originally were in the Church of Pilar. The high altar (golden and of great proportions) is imposed on the means and the highlight of the center. In 1942, the Metropolitan Cathedral was declared a National Historic Landmark and is considered one of the most important architectural works of the colonial times.

Pope Francisco Archdiocese
The Cathedral also serves as a museum to honor the Pope Francisco, since from 1998 until his consecration as pope on March 19, 2013, Jorge Bergoglio Archbishop of Buenos Aires was in charge of driving and the Archdiocese. There, visitors can find personal and liturgical objects used during the 15 years of his pastoral ministry in the city. The schedule of the church are Monday through Friday from 8 to 19 hours and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 to 19:30. It offers a service of guided tours and audio guides in different languages.