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 Foreign embassies in Managua also sponsor film festivals. Since the late 1990s and early 2000, many casinos and karaoke bars opened and have remained popular attractions for Nicaraguans and foreign visitors. Popular music includes the Palo de Mayo, Merengue, Cumbia and Latin pop among other Latin music genres, as well as American pop and rock. Salsa dancing is a national pastime. Managua boasts a vibrant night life. Nightclubs and bars are abound in Managua, particularly, in the popular areas called "Zona Viva" located in the shopping mall "Galerías Santo Domingo", as well as very close by "Plaza Mi Viejo Santo