Metropolitan Cathedral
Pope Francis' church!…read more
On the outside, this doesn't look much like a church. It's the least holiest national church I think I've ever been in. It looks like the US Treasury Building, or the Parthenon, like a Greek Temple, with classical designs, mixed with modern along the bottom of the building. Architecturally, it looks like it was designed by someone who had ADD, or there was a committee that couldn't agree on anything. It's a mishmash of weird that's not a church. There's subtle catholic markings on the outside of the church.
On the inside, it's completely different! It's fantastically beautiful! Be sure to check out the tomb of San Martin. It's like the holiest of holies for Argentina. They have a standing guard at all times. When I went, they happened to be doing the changing of the guards, which involved a lot of marching and saluting. Really cool.
The artwork here is wonderful! Every niche, every surface is either covered in a beautiful tapestry, gilded, fresco, mosaic, or a masterpiece painting. There are places to sit and contemplate in the pews. It's a working church.
It's free to enter.
The church is right on the Plaza de Mayo, where the Casa Rosada is. This is like the Zocalo in CDMX or the National Mall in DC. Parking is going to be a problem.