Zócalo & Oaxaca Cathedral
Zócalo / Catedral de Oaxaca
The central square of old Oaxaca, shaded by large trees, with open-air cafés, street vendors and bands, next to the green-stone cathedral.
The Zócalo (Plaza de la Constitución) connects to the Alameda de León to the north and serves as the living room for daily life in Oaxaca. In the centre stands a wrought-iron bandstand, and on weekends the state orchestra often performs. Under the arcades, cafés and restaurants invite you to sit down with a hot chocolate or mezcal and watch vendors selling balloons, handmade embroidery and grilled corn. The cathedral, the Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de María Santísima, was begun in 1535, rebuilt several times after earthquakes, and its present facade is 18th-century Baroque built of local green volcanic stone. A pedestrian street links it to the Santo Domingo church to the north. Two blocks south of the square is the 20 de Noviembre market, which makes a good part of an old-town walking route. The square is busy in the evening, so keep an eye on your phone and wallet.
Opening hours
Open all day; church approx. 07:00–20:00
Nearby sights
- Teatro Macedonio Alcalá
- Mercado Benito Juárez
- Museo Textil de Oaxaca
- Andador Turístico (Calle Macedonio Alcalá)
- Mercado 20 de Noviembre
- Rufino Tamayo Museum of Pre-Hispanic Art
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO)
- Templo de Santo Domingo & Museum of Oaxacan Cultures