In which country is the Parish of San Miguel Arcangel?

The symbolic icon of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, mistakenly known as a “Cathedral”, is a parish church with a neo-Gothic façade in the heart of the city, opposite the main garden.

La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, the current parish church, is unique in Mexico and the emblem of the town. It is one of the most-photographed churches in Mexico and the two tall towers of its neo-Gothic façade can be seen from most parts of town. The church was built in the 17th century with a traditional Mexican façade. The current Gothic façade was constructed in 1880 by Zeferino Gutierrez, an indigenous bricklayer and self-taught architect. It is said Gutierrez's inspiration came from postcards and lithographs of Gothic churches in Europe; however, the interpretation is his own and more a work of imagination than a faithful reconstruction.

The first primitive church building was a modest adobe with a coffered wooden roof made of two slopes. According to historical documents, a second building, a neighbor of the previous one, "was being built in 1578" which by "1649 had fallen". The current Parochial Church was built by order of Bishop Friar Juan Ortega y Montañez starting in 1685.