On the west side of Seminario Park is a cathedral originally built in 1547 as a wooden building – however, like much of Guayaquil, it was destroyed by fire. The present structure, completed in 1948 and renovated in 1978, is simple and modern, despite an extremely ornate front entrance. The surrounding park is also called Parque de Las Iguanas, due to its reptilian residents. Look closely and you can spot iguanas grazing on the rocks here.
The park also has an artificial lagoon with fish in it and a monument of Simón Bolívar (who fought for independence against Spain) mounted on a horse. Meanwhile, a sculpture of two fighting wild boars stands in the southeastern corner. Created by French sculptor Virgil Chaudejeaug, it represents fertility and virility and was given as a gift to the city by a Chinese colony that lived here in the late 19th century.
