Iglesia de San Francisco or Church of San Francisco is located in Centro Histórico (or the historic…read morecenter). This church has endeared many histocial events. After the Reform War (in 1861), most of the property of this church was seized by the government. Unfortunately most of the church was destroyed and demolished for construction to make room for new roads. Other parts of the old building that are still standing today are a Methodist Church and also a bakery (Panadería Ideal). The reason why these buildings are still here is because it cost the government more to demolish these buildings than to leave them standing. So to get inside the church, you have to walk down some stairs. Why you ask? Well because Mexico City is sinking. A lot of historical buildings are actually sinking. When the Spanish had conquered the Aztecs, they drained Texcoco Lake in order to use the lake bed as a foundation for the city. The lake bed is drying up (and also having the weight of buildings built on top of it doesn't help), which is why it is sinking at such a rapid rate for those that are interested to know. Anyways, for those interested in visiting this church, it is free to enter. When my husband and I visited this church a few Sundays ago, we arrived around 1:40 pm. A little before 2 pm, there was a church service that was just starting. Not sure how often services occur, but it is possible you may be lucky to see one whenever you visit. There is also a small gift shop area in case you wish to purchase religious items. And towards the outside entrance, there were some baked goods that were being sold by some of the nuns that we were told the proceeds would go to help out the church. The architecture of this church truly is beautiful and a feast for the eyes. And really is amazing that these church buildings are still standing with the paintings on the walls and the alters inside. Definitely worth a visit if you are in downtown historic center.

A visit here was an accident and a wonderful one at that. We were walking back from Zocalo to our…read morehotel when we saw this spot and decided to check it out. It's a spectacular church and has been around from 1542! Check out the pictures.

Mexico City Metropolitan cathedral - Built over more than 250 years, it is the largest cathedral…read morein the Americas and a masterpiece that blends Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical architecture into one breathtaking structure. Even more fascinating, it was built atop the sacred Aztec precinct of Tenochtitlan, using stones from the destroyed indigenous temples--a powerful reminder of Mexico's layered and complex history. As someone who absolutely loves Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture, seeing all of these styles come together in one place was almost overwhelming--in the best possible way. Everywhere I looked, there was another incredible detail: soaring vaulted ceilings, intricate carvings, magnificent altars, and stunning craftsmanship. Every corner seemed to reveal something new. We spent a long time simply wandering through the cathedral, marveling at and admiring its extraordinary interior. Photos can capture its beauty, but they can't fully convey the scale, artistry, and atmosphere you experience standing inside. This is one of those places that leaves you in awe long after you walk out.

The Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is known to be the largest and oldest cathedral in Latin…read moreAmerica. It took 3 centuries to build and features baroque, neoclassical, and neo-renaissance design. With this cathedral being so massive, there are 14 chapels, numerous of alters, beautifully painted domes and stunning architecture. There is also an underground crypt (if you want to visit that, you will need to enter through the Templo Mayor Museum, north of the cathedral, or across the street from here). Because most of Mexico City was built on an emptied lakebed, the ground is sinking, which has caused for uneven ground/ structure that has caused for the cathedral to be tilted towards one side. It is free to enter this cathedral and visitors are able to take as many photos as they wish, but no flash. The cathedral is open every day from 8 am to 8 pm. You can also purchase tickets if you wish to climb stairs up to the bell towers that is offered several times a day. But please note that the tour is only offered in Spanish. Also there was a large earthquake in 2017 that caused damage to the bell towers so part of that section is not available for walking by. During our visit, we saw that two services were going on at the same time. We also saw some of the largest organs that were built during this time period in this cathedral, which really was impressive. We really wanted to check out the bell towers tour but it was not available on the day we came. I really did enjoy walking through this incredibly large cathedral and taking my time to look at everything (I also greatly appreciate the air conditioning to get a little rest from the warm weather on the day of our visit). The photos posted here really does not do justice to how gorgeous this holy and historic site is. Definitely worth a visit if you are visiting Mexico City's zocaldo, or the historic center.

What a wonderful slice of history that exists in this ancient church that dates back hundreds of…read moreyears. I looked-up this church online, and it was amazing to see how this church existed before the cars and big city life. The church still functions to this day, and there were a handful of people sitting in the pews. I'm not exactly sire when they offer service, but I can remember walking past here last year when there were spectators lined-up outside listening to the ongoing service through a loudspeaker. The church building has withstood the rest of time and it has endured several natural disasters. It makes me wonder what kind of maintenance has been involved to keep the church standing. I had a quiet peaceful time here and also spent some time praying.

This is a beautiful church on the outside, but sadly not as well-maintained inside. It is sacrilege…read morenot to rate a church a 5, but the multiple cockroaches inside warrant it.

This church sits on the northern end of the Plaza de Santo Domingo, a remnant of the Dominican…read moremonastery in the same location originally built in 1526, after the Spanish invasion and subsequent construction of European-styled architecture. The current building is the third iteration built in the 1800s in the same location and considered to be in the Mexican Baroque style with neoclassical elements (such as the main altar) within. Walking into the church initial impression is it feels a bit more austere than some other nearby historic churches since most of the gold, flowery finishes of the altars are inset within the mini chapels on either side of the pews, not immediately visible until you walk up closer. Shaped in the traditional cross formation with main altar at the apse, especially noteworthy are the altars on the right and left transepts, more ornate and arresting with paintings and figures of saints framed by twisting gold columns and filigree. On a Saturday mid-day in January, the church was pretty empty, a few tourists walked in while I was there though otherwise very quiet. There's no admission charge though donations are accepted. For more info: https://www.mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx/venues/temple-of-santo-domingo/?lang=en

I attended 1.5 masses here on Sunday with my boyfriend and his mother and sister. I say 1.5 because…read morewe arrived 15 mins late for the first mass (which starts at 8 am) and his mom didn't want to take communion because we arrived late so we also stayed for the 9 am mass. Each mass was 45 minutes and had 40 or 50 attendees. I'm not Catholic (was raised Lutheran) and I'm not fluent in Spanish (intermediate level) but I really enjoyed the service and I was able to follow along thanks to the bulletin. I did not feel out of place at all; I felt very welcome. I recommend the 9 am mass because that one had a lovely acoustic guitar choir (4 or 5 guys). There were also 2 elementary school girls (altar girls) helping the priest - that was very sweet to see. I did not take communion. The building is very interesting, as it used to be a convent. If you are at all interested in Catholicism, spirituality, comparative religion, or Mexican culture I highly recommend attending mass here. But of course you can just stop by and view the beautiful church! The main altar has marble columns and gold detailing. There are numerous side altars, the most fascinating being the one dedicated to El Señor del Rebozo, who helps women who want to get married! Women looking for a spouse or partner bring their shawls (rebozos) and other items here (one women even left a framed copy of her bachelor's degree diploma). The altar is covered in bright, colorful shawls. I even saw some men praying at this altar, maybe praying for their daughters or sisters. When we exited the church a small market was setting up in the plaza.

This is a good hidden place to go. It has the graves to a couple of Mexican presidents as well as…read morevery noticeable people from Mexican history. It is free admission.