Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Managua Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Managua The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (Spanish: "Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción de María"), referred to as the New Cathedral ("La Nueva Catedral"), is located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. The cathedral was built in 1991 to serve as a replacement for the Old Cathedral of Managua or St. James' Cathedral ("Catedral de Santiago"). The old cathedral was damaged and thought to be unrestoreable after a 1972 earthquake that destroyed 90% of the city. The new cathedral was designed by the Mexican architect
Managua Somoza García and his family (1936–1979), the city was rebuilt and began to grow rapidly. New government buildings were erected, industry developed, and universities were established. The city's development caught the attention of Irving Fields and Albert Gamse, who composed a musical piece about the city that became popular in the 1940s through the performances of Freddy Martin, Guy Lombardo and Kay Kyser. Managua had become Central America's most developed city. Today's references differentiate the pre-1970s Managua by labeling it as "La Antigua Ciudad," which in English translates to "The Ancient City" or "The Old City". Managua's progress came to