Cathedral of Iglesia Matriz

Montevideo Cathedral is a colonial Catholic church that is considered the "mother" of all Catholic churches in Uruguay.

The first church on this site was built in 1740. The new temple was consecrated in 1804 in honor of the apostles Philip and Jacob, patrons of Montevideo. The author of the temple in the colonial neoclassical style was the architect Thomas Toribio. The modern look of the cathedral was given by the architect Bernardo Poncini.

In 1870, the church was consecrated in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, and also assigned the temple the status of a small basilica. A few years later, the temple became a cathedral.

Now the remains of the Montevidean archbishops, as well as famous Uruguayan personalities, rest in the cathedral.