Initially, the church of Santa Maria was established as a parish - immediately after the founding of Trujillo (1535-1540). In 1616 the church was elevated to the rank of the cathedral by Pope Paul V, but three years later was destroyed along with the entire city by the earthquake in February 1619. Reconstruction of the church commissioned Bartolomeo de las Cuevas. But this church building did not survive the devastating earthquake in February 1635. In 1647 the episcopate reacted more severely to the construction of the church building designed by the architect Francisco de Soto Rios, from which he graduated in 1666. Francisco Balboa. At this time, the architects tried to provide all the necessary measures for the stability of buildings to withstand future earthquakes on the Peruvian coast.

In 1967, Pope Paul VI elevated the church to the cathedral, but in 1970, due to the earthquake, the temple was the seriously damaged: the dome, bell tower and the altar. Two decades later, the building of the cathedral was restored completely.

Cathedral of Santa Maria is famous for its altar - the huge white altar in the Baroque and Rococo is covered with gold leaf, decorated with precious images and icons of the masters of art schools of Cusco and Quito. Its beauty and uniqueness can only be compared with the altar in the Cathedral of Cusco.

Visitors can see the cathedral Trujillo large collection of ancient icons which decorate it: the images of St. Rosa, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Peter, St. John the Baptist, St. Toribio de Mogroveho, St. Valentina. Arches and walls of the church are decorated with frescoes depicting the Apostles, windows - stained glass.

Cathedral Museum, located inside the temple holds valuable religious works of art. Especially valuable paintings and sculptures of the school of Cuzco and artifacts of the colonial period, including two paintings: "Peter's denial" and "John the Baptist."

Next to the Cathedral is the Archbishop's Palace.