The Cathedral Museum comprises twelve exhibition rooms, located in chapels, sacristies, ante-sacristies and the Chapter House. On display are various collections of paintings, sculptures and wood carvings created using the traditional maguey technique. The various display cases and cabinets contain priestly vestments, ivory crucifixes, gold and silverware, precious objects and relics of saints, such as the Lignum Crucis (pieces of wood from the Cross on which Jesus died).
The museum tour includes a visit to the Chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe – Patron Saint of Sucre, painted in 1601 by Fr. Diego de Ocaña, adorned with jewels and precious stones which the local people place on her mantle as a sign of devotion.
The tour also includes the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Sucre – the Primate of Bolivia and seat of the first Bishopric of the Province of Los Charcas. It is Bolivia’s first and most important religious monument, featuring a blend of Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles, comprising three naves and a tower. Inside, there is a collection of silver candelabra and paintings depicting the martyrdom of the apostles; its main altar is a Greco-Roman style shrine plated in gold. Behind the altar lies the canons’ choir, carved from wood, the oldest in Bolivia. On a separate tour, you can visit the cathedral’s viewing platform.
From December 2023, visitors will be able to access the cathedral’s vaults to enjoy the best views of the city.
