St. James Cathedral, Saltillo, 18th-century Catholic cathedral in downtown Saltillo, Mexico.

St. James Cathedral is a light gray stone church in downtown Saltillo, opposite the Plaza de Armas. Its facade has three sections with carved limestone, paired Solomonic columns, and a wooden papal shield above the arched entry. On the left, a white bell tower with a red dome holds a clock; on the right, a taller two-tier tower rises beside a stone basin.

The priest Felipe Suárez de Estrada promoted a larger temple beside the original parish in 1745, built to a design by Nicolás Hernández and finished in 1800. The tower was begun in 1883 and completed in 1897. On 23 June 1891 Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Saltillo by bull, and the temple became its cathedral.

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint James the Apostle, whose shell emblem tops the Solomonic columns inside. Its silver-gilt altar frontals and liturgical objects were likely made from metal mined in nearby regions, showing local silversmithing. The roughly 45 colonial oil paintings, including works by José de Alcíbar, are isolated pieces rather than a single narrative cycle.

The cathedral faces the Plaza de Armas in the historic center, opposite the Palacio de Gobierno, so it is reached on foot from the surrounding streets. The main entrance is the arched doorway under the carved facade; the two bell towers stand to its left and right. Visitors should keep in mind that access may be limited during worship, especially when ceremonies are held inside.

At 81 metres, the cathedral is the tallest in northern Mexico and the second tallest in the country. The tower, begun in 1883 and finished in 1897, has three tiers topped by an iron cross. Look for the papal coat of arms carved in wood above the main doorway.