Cathedral Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi

Near the shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi is Bariloche’s main Catholic church. Architect Alejandro Bustillo designed the neo-Gothic building, inaugurated in 1946. Inside, high vaulted ceilings, exposed wood and brickwork, and stained-glass windows give the space its character. The windows depict local history, including figures connected with the region’s religious past. Entry is free, and the cathedral’s gardens and lake-and-mountain setting make it a worthwhile stop on a walk through central Bariloche.

Bustillo’s neo-Gothic design

Architect Alejandro Bustillo designed the cathedral, which was inaugurated in 1946. Its neo-Gothic style draws on the forms of European churches, with high vaulted ceilings and a layout shaped like a Latin cross. The apse faces east.

White regional stone gives the exterior its solid appearance. Inside, exposed wood and brickwork sit alongside the tall arches, while the interior’s images and paintings have a more modern style.

Stained glass and local history

The stained-glass windows were created by E. Thomas. Their scenes include the Stations of the Cross and figures connected with the history of the area, among them Jesuit Nicolás Mascardi, Brother Francisco Menéndez, Ceferino Namuncurá and Father Milanesio, Bariloche’s first priest.

The cathedral’s name refers to the Virgin associated with Mascardi’s first evangelizing mission in the region, in 1670. Look around the windows for depictions of local historical figures, including Bustillo represented as Saint Raphael.