The Metropolitan Cathedral of Guadalajara, officially the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary Most Holy, is the seat of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and one of the main temples of the Catholic Church in Mexico. As a cathedral church it is the permanent seat of the archbishop of Guadalajara and is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. Pope Pius XI granted it the liturgical title of minor basilica by apostolic brief on December 21, 1938.
ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY IN ONE PLACE
In the space that occupies the temple of Santa Maria de Gracia was where the Church of San Miguel was built, the first cathedral of Guadalajara, under the dedication of San Miguel Arcángel. It is worth mentioning that this church was next to the first main square of the city and is now known as the Plaza Fundadores. The old cathedral was a rather simple adobe temple. There was a fire on May 30, 1574 that severely damaged the church. Sometime later the center of Guadalajara was moved to the new main square, where the new cathedral was built.
Currently the cathedral church is still in danger: it has been damaged by earthquakes in 1932, 1957, 1979, 1985, 1995 and 2003. Among the risks it presents are: the short inclination of the north tower, its slight sinking and the structural damage suffered by the dome, among others. Due to the constant vibrations generated by the vehicles circulating through the tunnel under Hidalgo Avenue, the building and the north tower, which is adjacent to this road, are being damaged.
