Capilla Real de Naturales

Top choice in Cholula


The Arabic-style Capilla Real has 49 domes and dates from 1540. The mosque-inspired design makes the yellow church unique to Mexico and creates a beautiful interior pattern of dome arches. It forms part of the Ex-Convento de San Gabriel. The church opens for extended hours (9am to 8pm) on the 25th of each month.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cholula attractions

1. Capilla de la Tercera Orden

0.03 MILES

In the middle of Cholula's huge zócalo is the 19th-century Capilla de la Tercera Orden. The church forms part of the Ex-Convento de San Gabriel.

2. Ex-Convento de San Gabriel

0.04 MILES

The Ex-Convento de San Gabriel (also known as Plaza de la Concordia), facing the east side of Cholula's huge zócalo, includes a tiny but interesting…

3. Templo de San Gabriel

0.1 MILES

The Templo de San Gabriel was founded in 1529 on the site of a pyramid and the ruins of a temple dedicated to Quetzalcóatl. The exterior is partially…

4. Zócalo

0.17 MILES

Cholula’s zócalo (in San Pedro Cholula, not to be confused with Zócalo de San Andrés to the east) is so huge and exposed that most people prefer to…

5. Casa del Caballero Águila

0.17 MILES

This excellent museum is housed in a fantastically restored colonial building on the zócalo. The small collection includes ceramics and jewelry from the…

6. Parroquia de San Pedro

0.2 MILES

This distinctively yellow baroque church has the tallest tower in Cholula and has become an often photographed icon of the city, at least at ground level…

7. Museo de Sitio de Cholula

0.29 MILES

This small, well-maintained museum, across the road from the Pirámide Tepanapa ticket office and down some steps, provides the best introduction to the…

8. Pirámide Tepanapa

0.33 MILES

The incredible Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid, but it's still the town's big draw, and with miles of tunnels veining the inside…