This 17th-century church occupies a whole block on the northern edge of downtown and was constructed to serve the spiritual needs of working-class worshippers.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.41 MILES
Three blocks north of the cathedral, the 1786 Iglesia de la Recolección is considered the city’s most beautiful church, a Mexican-style baroque confection…
Reserva Natural Isla Juan Venado
10.56 MILES
This 20km-long, sandy barrier island (in some places only 300m wide) has swimming holes and lots of wildlife, including hundreds of migrating bird species…
Museo de Arte Fundación Ortiz-Gurdián
0.5 MILES
Probably the finest museum of contemporary art in all of Central America, the Ortiz-Gurdián Collection has spilled over from its original home in Casa Don…
20.49 MILES
Anyone with even a passing interest in archaeology should stop in here, one of the finest museums in the country. The beautifully displayed collection…
13.46 MILES
Flor de Caña rum is among the world's finest and it has been produced in Chichigalpa since the distillery's founding in 1890. Visitors are initiated into…
Museo Histórico de la Revolución
0.51 MILES
León is the heart and soul of liberal Nicaragua. Stop into this museum for an overview of the Nicaraguan revolutionaries who stood up against the Somoza…
17.97 MILES
Buried and lost for over 300 years, this was Nicaragua’s first capital – a rough-and-ready settlement that some say was doomed from the start. Founded in…
0.52 MILES
Officially known as the Basílica de la Asunción, León’s cathedral is the largest in Central America, its expansive design famously (and perhaps…
Nearby León attractions
0.35 MILES
An early 20th-century landmark, the Casa del Obrero (House of the Worker) honors Nicaraguan laborers. The building became a historical symbol on September…
4. Galería de Héroes y Mártires
0.4 MILES
A homage to León’s more recent history is found at the Galería de Héroes y Mártires, run by mothers of FSLN veterans and fallen heroes, with murals,…
0.41 MILES
Three blocks north of the cathedral, the 1786 Iglesia de la Recolección is considered the city’s most beautiful church, a Mexican-style baroque confection…
0.41 MILES
For something completely different, swing by the ultra-Gothic 1884 Iglesia Zaragoza. There's an interesting mix of architectural styles here – it looks…
0.42 MILES
Home to León’s patron saint, la Virgen de la Merced, this is considered the city’s second-most-important church. After Volcán Momotombo erupted and forced…
0.46 MILES
This 17th-century neoclassical church was rebuilt more than once and boasts an impressive bell tower.