The Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Puerto Vallarta began as a small adobe chapel founded April 15, 1883, by Father Sabino Virute. Construction of the current church began in 1903 on the original chapel’s foundations—where Father Francisco Ayala now rests—and the main structure was completed between 1930 and 1940, blending neoclassical, baroque, and renaissance elements.
Its iconic iron crown, designed by Father Rafael Parra Castillo and forged by José Esteban Ramírez Guareño, was added to the central tower in 1965 and has become a symbol of the city. Each December 12, the church is the heart of massive pilgrimages and festive celebrations.