Diego José de Porres Esquivel, a Guatemalan architect, developed the design in 1762. Groundbreaking was in 1747 and the cathedral was completed in 1814. The article classifies the style as Eclectic, Baroque and Neoclassical with Gothic, Renaissance and Mudéjar influences, and calls it the largest cathedral in Central America.
The plan is rectangular, with a nave, four aisles and ten arched bays, and two facade towers flank a central pediment. A large dome covers the crossing, and 34 domes in all provide ventilation and light. Seven cellars give stability in earthquakes, and seven tunnels reportedly connect to other churches. The article lists no dimensions or construction materials.
Jorge Navas Cordonero made the statues of the Virgin Mary and the Twelve Apostles in the early 20th century, along with the lion on Rubén Darío's tomb. Remains of 27 people are reportedly beneath the cathedral. UNESCO listed it on June 28, 2011.
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