The Metropolitan Cathedral Of Santiago, Chili Editorial Photo

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago (Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago) is the seat of the Archbishop of Santiago de Chile, currently Ricardo Ezzati Andrello, and the center of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. Construction of the neoclassical cathedral began in 1748 and ended in 1800; further alterations ordered at the end of the 19th century give it its present appearance.[1] Previous cathedrals in the archdiocese had been destroyed by earthquakes.[1] The cathedral, located in the city's historic center, faces Santiago's Plaza de Armas and stands near the Palacio Arzobispal de Santiago, the administrative center for the archdiocese. The cathedral is also close to the Parroquia El Sagrario, a Catholic temple and a Chilean national monument.