Historic Tucson, Arizona: The Placita at Saint Augustine Cathedral

Last updated on October 17th, 2018

Tucson’s beautiful Saint Augustine Cathedral stands just outside Tucson’s downtown core. The exterior has a stunning Mexican baroque façade, complete with southwestern details. It is a 1928 remake of the original (unfinished) 1897 structure.

St Augustine Cathedral Tucson Arizona 20140212-DSC_4438

But it was the adjoining plaza – a lonely concrete space wearing a bonnet of brilliantly colored flowers and butterflies – that really caught my eye.

Flowers at the Placita at St Augustine Cathedral Tucson Arizona 20140212-DSC_4444

Flowers at the Placita at St Augustine Cathedral Tucson Arizona 20140212-DSC_4442

This is the Cathedral’s Placita, a small plaza available to the public for events. While it includes kitchens and other facilities in the adjoining building, it is the flowery dome that catches the eye. Actually a band shell, its fantastic giant flowers (300 of them), leaves (1,000), butterflies (18), and birds are made of steel.

What a great spot for a Quinceañera! I can almost see the young ladies floating about in their frilly gowns, as bright and beautiful as the steel flowers and butterflies.

Old Town Tucson
Central Arizona 2014
All Arizona posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.