León Cathedral (Nicaragua)

The Cathedral of León (Spanish INSIGNE Y REAL BASILICA DE LA ASUNCION CATEDRAL DE LA VIRGEN MARIA BIENAVENTURADA ) is a major church in Central America.

It was built in 1747-1860. It was the sixth cathedral in León in Nicaragua, has begun the construction under the Bishop Isidro Marín y Figueroa ( 1744-48 ). After the fifth cathedral was canceled because of the darkness inside her, the present cathedral is characterized by its brightness. It is praised as one of the cathedrals with the most beautiful natural indoor lighting Latin America. In the cathedral is, inter alia, to the tomb of the famous Nicaraguan poet and writer Rubén Darío. The roof of the cathedral is accessible and provides excellent views of León and its surroundings.

The boundaries of the former Diocese of Leon ranged from Tegucigalpa ( capital of Honduras today ) to the borders of present-day Panama. It was thus one of the largest dioceses in the Spanish colonial empire "en tierra firme " on the Latin American mainland. This probably results in the size of the structure.

Since July 2011, the cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after the UNESCO decided to include the building in the list of World Heritage Sites.