The cathedral was designed by Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca in a modern style based on
Mayan architectural style of
pyramids. The current cathedral was built between 1964 and 1979 and replaced as seat of the Archdiocese a series of churches that had served as cathedrals since 1676, the most recent and notable of those being the
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of the Ancient See, now known as the
Old Cathedral, built in the 18th century, and that had been declared Rio's cathedral in the early 19th century. The
New Cathedral, as it is sometimes called, is located in the center of the city. Conical in form and with a internal diameter — 106 metres of external diameter — and an overall height of . Inside, the area measures 8,000 square meters and sufficient 5,000 seats (it has a standing-room capacity of 20,000 people). The cathedral's four
rectilinear stained glass windows soar from floor to ceiling. ==See also==