CATEDRAL BASÍLICA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL ROSARIO

This imposing neoclassical cathedral, the episcopal see of the Rosario diocese, is of course dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary. Rosario's first parish church was built on this very site in 1731, and in 1733 a statue of the Virgin of the Rosary was brought here specially from Cadiz in Spain. It was then a humble little chapel. The cathedral basilica, however, dates from the late ^19th century. Although several professionals worked on this immense building, it was the architect Juan B. Arnaldi who took charge of its construction. Arnaldi was responsible for most of the expansion work on what was then a simple church. In particular, he modified the two towers and built the magnificent dome. Inaugurated in 1888, its Carrara marble organ and altar were shipped directly from Italy. The current façade, however, dates back to 1927 and the renovation work carried out by architects Gerbino and Schwarz.
On April 20, 1934, a papal bull from Pius XI established the promotion of this church to cathedral and episcopal see for the new diocese of Rosario. It became a basilica in 1966.
The decoration of the main nave is particularly rich, and you can spend hours gazing up at the painting by the Monti brothers of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Pompeya.
You can also visit the crypt where Archbishops Silvino Martínez, Guillermo Bolatti and Jorge Manuel López are buried.