The imposing Catedral de Santa María, also known as La Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción, was built on the site of the original Comayagua plaza over the course of more than a century, between 1580 and 1708. The prolonged construction stemmed from problems obtaining funds and the need to rebuild the church’s foundation in the 17th century.

The church’s facade, which recently underwent thorough renovations, is decorated with sculpted columns and eight statues set in niches. The tower, built in 1650, holds one of the oldest known clocks in the world. The Reloj Arabe, as it is known, was made around 1100 and graced the side of La Alhambra in Granada, Spain, before it was donated to Comayagua by King Felipe II.

Inside the cathedral are three extraordinarily elaborate retablos in baroque style, with sculptures by Andrés y Francisco de Ocampo dating from the 1630s. Many colonial religious paintings hang on the walls inside. The cathedral is normally open 9:30 a.m.–noon and 2–5 p.m. weekdays, and of course Sundays for mass.