Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The spiritual heart of Puerto Vallarta and one of Mexico’s most photographed architectural landmarks, this parish has witnessed over a century of faith, community, and transformation.

Origins: From Las Peñas to Puerto Vallarta (1851–1921)

It is widely accepted that Puerto Vallarta was founded on December 12, 1851, when Don Guadalupe Sánchez arrived with his family from Cihuatlán, Jalisco. The remarkable coincidences — his name, the date of arrival, and his devotion to the Virgin of Tepeyac — led him to christen the settlement Puerto de las Peñas de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. The Congress of Jalisco renamed it Puerto Vallarta in 1918.

The first chapel on this site was established on April 15, 1883 by Father Sabino Viruete. When foundations for a new church were laid in 1903, this chapel was still in use. When Father Francisco Ayala arrived in 1915, he convinced the parishioners that a larger temple was needed: he had the existing structure demolished, the trenches deepened, and the foundations reinforced. By 1921, the small Puerto de las Peñas became an independent parish, though the old chapel still functioned, surrounded by the walls and scaffolding of the new construction.

Building the Temple (1921–1987)

Construction began on the eastern side (next to the hill) to first complete the apse and sanctuary — essential for holding services under a roof. Here are the key milestones:

• 1926 — The great bell, “La Eucarística,” is blessed and installed. Work progresses rapidly until the Cristero War erupts, halting all construction.
• 1929 — Work resumes after the acute phase of the conflict subsides.
• 1930 — The dome is built. That same year, electric light arrives in town — though only during the first hours of night.
• 1937 — A report by the Bishop of Tepic notes “the roof is still unfinished and pavement is lacking in a large portion”; baptisms had to be administered in the sacristy.
• 1940s — The building is completed, except for the towers.
• 1946 — A portable power generator and cinema projector are acquired for catechism classes.
• 1951 — The choir and a Hammond organ are inaugurated on December 12.
• 1952 — The main bell tower is completed.
• 1963–1965 — The celebrated crown that tops the tower is designed, modeled, and installed.
• 1987 — Father Luis Ramírez completes the facade, adds the small lateral towers, clears the north facade of scattered constructions, creates the atrium, and renovates the rectory.

The Seven Pastors

Since 1921, the parish has been led by seven pastors: Fr. Francisco Ayala (1921–1926), Fr. José Ramírez (1929–1932), Fr. Luis Robles (1932–1940), Fr. Rafael Parra (1942–1966), Fr. Francisco Antonio Aldana (1967–1979), Fr. Jesús Meda (1979–1982), and Fr. Luis Ramírez (1982 to present). Two of them — Fr. Francisco Ayala, who initiated construction, and Fr. Rafael Parra, who completed it — are buried in the Calvary Chapel.

Architecture: Village Art

This church is not the work of trained architects but rather an expression of “arte pueblerino” (village art), which authentically symbolizes the urban character of Puerto Vallarta. It was built by master builders, masons, and artisans who interpreted the aesthetic and religious values of their era — values that belonged more to the 19th century than to the 20th.

The main tower ensemble is Neoclassical, reminiscent of the celebrated El Carmen church built by architect Tresguerras in Celaya, Guanajuato. But the mass of the supporting angels and crown evokes Baroque examples from Flanders or Austria. The small lateral towers are stylistically indefinable, while the lanterns share a Renaissance elegance with the dome’s lantern.

To explore every detail of the interior — chapels, altarpieces, paintings, and sculptures — visit our dedicated page on the temple interior.

No one would ever try to finish this church now, for it would lose its warmth, captured in millions of photographs. Puerto Vallarta is as proud of this village church — fortunately left unfinished — as Paris and Chartres are of their sublime cathedrals, also unfinished forever.