Plaza 25 de Mayo, Sucre, Bolivia
Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre
The metropolitan cathedral of Bolivia, a whitewashed colonial church in the constitutional capital that holds the country's most venerated Marian image.
Sucre's cathedral faces the Plaza 25 de Mayo in Bolivia's constitutional capital, a whitewashed building with a clock tower that anchors the city's UNESCO-listed colonial center. The original church dates to the 1550s, and the present structure is mostly from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, mixing Renaissance and Baroque elements under that characteristic Andean whitewash. Inside, the Virgen de Guadalupe de Sucre — a painting encrusted with thousands of diamonds, pearls, rubies, and emeralds donated by the faithful over centuries — is the main attraction. The jewel-covered painting is unique and genuinely astonishing. The cathedral also houses a museum of ecclesiastical art with colonial silver, vestments, and paintings. Sucre at 9,000 feet has clear light and cool air that keeps the white walls glowing.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Sucre
Style: Renaissance-Baroque Colonial
What to See
The jewel-encrusted Virgin of Guadalupe painting is unlike anything else in South America. The sheer quantity of gems — accumulated over centuries of devotion — is staggering. The ecclesiastical museum is well worth the small admission fee.
Pilgrim Notes
The cathedral is on Sucre's main plaza, easily walkable. Sucre is quieter and more manageable than La Paz. The altitude is significant — take it easy on your first day. The Recoleta monastery above the city offers panoramic views.