The Santa Ana Cathedral in El Salvador. Impressive Neo-Gothic Church

By Eddie Galdamez  |  Apr 12th, 2022
Santa Ana Cathedral in El Salvador
Neo-Gothic Cathedral in Santa Ana.

The Santa Ana Cathedral in El Salvador, or Catedral de la Señora Santa Ana, is a neo-Gothic church located in Santa Ana. This Cathedral is of great cultural value to the municipality of Santa Ana and the entire country; it was declared a national monument of El Salvador in 1995.

The Santa Ana Cathedral has a Neo-Gothic design, which contrasts to the traditional Spanish Colonial style church design that most cathedrals in El Salvador have.

The Cathedral sits on the remaining of the central parish, the old church built between 1575 and 1576. The Central Parish was partially destroyed by lightning in the 19th century.

Reconstruction of the Santa Ana Cathedral was authorized in 1904; it began in 1906 and was completed by 1959.

This architectural masterpiece is a special place that keeps the culture and religion of the Santa Ana people alive.

Cathedral of Santa Ana El Salvador
Cathedral of Santa Ana El Salvador. Photo by @AsambleaSV

The Cathedral of Santa Ana, a cultural and tourist attraction.

Santa Ana is one of the most visited cities in western El Salvador. Its cultural and historic buildings attract visitors from all over El Salvador and from many other nations.

The Cathedral of Santa Ana stands out as one of the most visited attractions in the city, and for good reasons.

Being one of the architectural beauties of the magnificent historic center of Santa Ana, the Cathedral stands out among the other historical landmarks in the area.

The Santa Ana July festivities.

Throughout the year, the Santa Ana Cathedral is constantly visited by international and national tourists. Some of these visitors do it because of faith, while others just want to see the impressive church.

Suppose there is an ideal time to visit this Cathedral. In that case, it is during the July festivities in honor of Our Lady of Santa Ana, the patron saint of the municipality.

The July festivities are one of the top cultural celebrations in the country.

The festivities take place from July 17th to the 26th. During these celebrations, the Cathedral and surrounding area are more colorful.

There is music, gastronomy, and religious and cultural events. Parishioners of all ages arrive in Santa Ana from everywhere in the country.

These July festivities bring together local and international people to its beautiful historic center. Even for non-religious people, visiting the Cathedral during the July festivities is a normal thing to do.

Neo-Gothic Curch
The Santa Ana Cathedral in El Salvador

The design of the Santa Ana Cathedral.

The Cathedral of Santa Ana has a fantastic design. One of the most impressive parts is the figure of a Latin Cross, made up of three naves.

The principal nave is about 22 meters long and 22 meters wide, while the aisles are about two meters long and eight meters wide. This cross is ever more impressive viewed from a high altitude.

The two towers at the church entrance add to the impressive design; each church tower has three bells, which arrived from the Netherlands in 1949.

Adding to the church’s allure are the four confessionals made of wood, wood benches, and over 50 beautiful lamps. Additionally, the Cathedral is home to over 25 images or statues found all over.

The imposing bell towers, the balconies, the windows, and the heavenly cross in the center of the structure make the Cathedral of Santa Ana unique among all the churches in El Salvador.

Santa Ana Cathedral
Santa Ana Cathedral

The Cathedral of Santa Ana in El Salvador.

The Cathedral of Santa Ana in El Salvador is considered one of the most important religious temples of the Catholic faith in the country.

It is a fact that this Cathedral has a large and beautiful structure accompanied by numerous details that position it as a marvel of architecture in the country.

Over the years, thousands of workers were involved in elaborating what would become one of the most important cathedrals in the region.

If you haven’t had the opportunity, venture into the city of Santa Ana and explore the fantastic Cathedral of Santa Ana. It is an impressive gothic-style church!