Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, known formally as the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, is a Roman Catholic cathedral on Plaza de Mayo in central Buenos Aires, Argentina. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for planning a visit.
This guide was last updated in September 2026. Unlike some older guides, it notes that the on-site exhibit on Pope Francis, the cathedral’s former archbishop, has become a memorial space since his death in April 2025.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Monday–Friday 7.30am–6.45pm; Saturday–Sunday 9.00am–7.00pm |
| Ticket price | Free entry (donations welcomed) |
| Address | San Martín 27, C1004AAA, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Nearest transport | Subte Line D, Catedral station (adjoining); Subte Line A, Plaza de Mayo station (2-minute walk) |
| Typical time needed | 45 minutes to 1.5 hours |
Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral opening hours
The cathedral is open every day of the year, with slightly longer hours at weekends. Weekday hours generally run from 7.30am to around 6.45pm, while Saturday and Sunday opening extends to around 7.00pm to cover the additional evening Mass. These times can shift by 15 to 30 minutes depending on the source consulted. The cathedral is an active parish rather than a ticketed museum, so the doors may close briefly around Mass times. Hours may also change during religious holidays such as Holy Week. If your visit falls on a public holiday, allow extra flexibility and check locally on arrival.
Mass is celebrated several times a day, roughly every hour or two between early morning and early evening. Visitors are welcome to sit quietly at the back during these services, though moving around the nave for photographs is best done between Masses.
Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral ticket prices
Entry to the cathedral is free, and no advance booking or ticket is required. Donations towards the upkeep of the building are welcomed but not obligatory. Opening hours and entry information were checked against Buenos Aires City’s official tourism website and current visitor listings, last updated in September 2026.
Because entry is free, the cathedral is not part of paid schemes such as Go City or CityPASS. It does, however, feature on the itinerary of the locally run Buenos Aires Pass (Bairespass). This bundled-tour product also includes Teatro Colón, Recoleta Cemetery, the Caminito and La Boca district, and a boat trip on the Tigre Delta.
How to get to Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
The cathedral faces Plaza de Mayo, in the heart of the Microcentro, so it is easiest to reach by underground train, known locally as the Subte. Subte Line D terminates at Catedral station, whose exit stands directly beside the building, while Subte Line A stops at Plaza de Mayo station, a two-minute walk away.
Subte Line E’s Bolívar station is a short walk across the square. Numerous colectivo bus routes also serve Plaza de Mayo, and the cathedral is within a 15-minute walk of Puerto Madero and the Casa Rosada.
Visitors staying in the Microcentro, San Telmo, or Monserrat neighbourhoods can typically walk to the cathedral in under 20 minutes, making a taxi unnecessary for most central hotels.
Parking at Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
There is no dedicated car park at the cathedral itself. On-street parking in the surrounding Microcentro is limited, metered, and often full on weekdays. Several paid underground garages operate within a few blocks, including options along Avenida de Mayo and near Diagonal Norte. Given the area’s traffic restrictions and one-way streets, most visitors find public transport or a taxi more convenient than driving.
How long to spend at Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
A straightforward visit to the nave and the mausoleum of General José de San Martín takes around 45 minutes. Visitors who also want to see the crypt, the Pope Francis exhibit, or join a guided tour should allow up to 1.5 hours.
The cathedral combines well with a wider walk around Plaza de Mayo, so many visitors treat it as one stop within a two- to three-hour circuit of the historic centre.
Accessibility at Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
The main nave is at street level and generally accessible to wheelchair users, with no steps at the principal entrance facing Plaza de Mayo. Catedral subway station has lifts connecting street level to the platforms, making the journey there straightforward for visitors with reduced mobility. Some interior areas, including the crypt, involve uneven or narrow flooring, so visitors with specific access needs may want to contact the cathedral in advance.
Inside Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
The cathedral’s neoclassical facade, added in 1822, features twelve columns representing the twelve apostles, giving it a look closer to a Greek temple than a typical Latin American cathedral. Inside, the central nave stretches around 100 metres and is flanked by side chapels and a dome reaching 41 metres above the crossing.
The most visited feature is the marble mausoleum of General José de San Martín, Argentina’s independence leader, guarded by an honour guard from the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers. Three sculpted female figures on the tomb represent Argentina, Chile and Peru, the countries San Martín helped liberate.
The floor of the central aisle is laid with mosaic tiles completed in the early twentieth century, a detail many visitors overlook on their way to the mausoleum. Fourteen paintings depicting the Stations of the Cross, by the Italian artist Francesco Domenighini, line the side chapels.
A permanent exhibition inside the cathedral is dedicated to Pope Francis, who served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires from 1998 until his election as pope in 2013. It displays personal and liturgical items he used during his pastoral ministry in the city, and has taken on added significance as a memorial since his death in 2025.
Behind the mausoleum, a large gilded high altar dominates the far end of the nave, framed by additional side altars dedicated to various saints. The cathedral also houses a historic pipe organ, still used for Mass and occasional recitals, and a crypt beneath the sanctuary that is not always open to casual visitors.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit before 10am on weekdays to see the interior before Mass-goers and tour groups arrive. |
| Crowds | Midday and Sunday morning Masses bring the largest congregations, so plan photography around these windows. |
| Layout | Enter through the main doors facing Plaza de Mayo and turn right to find the mausoleum of San Martín. |
| Entry process | There is no ticket booth or bag check; visitors simply walk in during opening hours. |
| On-site logistics | The changing of the guard at San Martín’s tomb happens at set intervals, so time your visit if you want to see it. |
Frequently asked questions about Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral free to visit? | Yes, entry is free, though donations are welcomed. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral? | No, no advance booking is required for a general visit. |
| Is Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral open on Sundays? | Yes, it is open on Sundays, generally from around 9.00am. |
| Are bags allowed at Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral? | Yes, there is no bag check, though large luggage is best left at your hotel. |
| Is Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral suitable for children? | Yes, though children are expected to stay quiet during Mass. |
Things to do near Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral
- Casa Rosada: Argentina’s presidential palace, immediately next to the cathedral on Plaza de Mayo.
- Cabildo of Buenos Aires: the colonial-era town hall facing the same square, now a history museum.
- Manzana de las Luces: a historic Jesuit block with tunnels and courtyards, a five-minute walk away.
- Avenida de Mayo: a grand early-twentieth-century boulevard linking Plaza de Mayo to Congreso.
- San Telmo: a historic barrio with antique shops and a Sunday street market, about 15 minutes on foot.
Alternative attractions
- San Isidro Cathedral: a neo-Gothic cathedral in the northern suburbs, about a 35-minute drive away.
- La Plata Cathedral: one of the largest neo-Gothic cathedrals in the Americas, around a 1-hour drive away.
- Basílica de Luján: Argentina’s principal Marian shrine, roughly a 1-hour drive from the city centre.
- Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento: a French Gothic-style church in Retiro, about a 15-minute drive away.
- Catedral de Mercedes: a provincial cathedral in Buenos Aires Province, around a 1.5-hour drive away.
