Plaza de Armas


Chihuahua’s historic heart, with its mass of pigeons, shoe-shiners and cowboy-hatted characters, is a simple but pretty place. A bronze sculpture of the city's founder, Don Antonio de Deza y Ulloa, presides over the daily hubbub. The plaza also is home to the majestic baroque cathedral, built between 1725 and 1826 and still containing the original organ installed in 1796.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Cathedral

0.04 MILES

The majestic cathedral, built between 1725 and 1826, presides over the bustle of the Plaza de Armas. Behind its marvelous baroque facade are an altar of…

2. Museo Sebastián

0.15 MILES

The main draws of this restored 1880s gallery are the small-scale models of the massive metal sculptures by renowned Chihuahuan artist Sebastián, whose…

3. Museo Casa de Juárez

0.17 MILES

President Benito Juárez’ residence in this house during the French occupation made Chihuahua the capital of the Mexican republic from 1864 to 1866. Now a…

4. Museo de Hidalgo

0.28 MILES

This tiny Museo de Hidalgo in the Palacio de Gobierno concentrates on the life of Miguel Hidalgo, a priest and a leader of the Mexican War of Independence…

5. Casa Chihuahua

0.28 MILES

Chihuahua’s former Palacio Federal (built 1908–10) has been used as a mint, a monastery, a military hospital and a post office, but is now a beautifully…

6. Palacio de Gobierno

0.28 MILES

The courtyard of this handsome, 19th-century, state-government building features striking 1960s murals by Aarón Piña Mora showing Chihuahua’s highly…

7. Poliforum de UACH

0.3 MILES

On the southeast side of Plaza Hidalgo, this University of Chihuahua gallery has two permanent exhibits that showcase the work of two prominent…

8. Quinta Gameros

0.36 MILES

Built in an incredibly elaborate belle epoque architectural style by a wealthy mine owner, this museum is filled with a mix of period furnishings and art…