Cathedral of León, Guanajuato facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Light |
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| Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Luz | |
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| 21°07′27″N 101°40′55″W / 21.1242°N 101.6819°W | |
| Location | León, Guanajuato |
| Country |  Mexico |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1866 |
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Light is a very important church in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. People also call it the León Cathedral. It's a Catholic church and the main church for the Archdiocese of León. It became a special church in 1866.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Starting the Building
The building of this church began in 1764. It was meant to be a new home for a group called the Jesuits. Their old church was falling apart.
The new church was planned to honor the Virgin of Light. But in 1767, the Jesuits had to leave. This stopped the building work for a while.
Becoming a Cathedral
Years later, in 1864, the Diocese of León was created. A diocese is an area managed by a bishop. The new bishop, Monsignor José María de Jesús Diez de Sollano, wanted to finish the church.
This church was known as the "New Company." It was chosen to become the main cathedral for the area. By this time, parts like the arched ceilings were already finished (between 1833 and 1837).
In 1864, the first part of the eastern tower was updated. A huge bell, weighing 4.5 tons, was made in late 1865 and early 1866. The church was officially made a cathedral in 1866.
A Look Inside the Cathedral
The inside of the cathedral is very grand. The nave is the long central part where people sit. It has high ceilings and beautiful details.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral basílica de León para niños
