Capilla Ecuménica de la Paz

The Capilla Ecuménica de la Paz, the Chapel of Peace, crowns the top of Cerro El Guitarrón, the ridge that closes off the east side of Acapulco Bay, at about 402 m above sea level inside the gated residential area of Las Brisas. Its 42 m white cross, made of steel coated in concrete and set on foundations drilled 20 m into the rock, can be seen from almost anywhere on the bay, and it is lit at night; it was first switched on on 24 December 1970. The chapel is interdenominational: an inscription on the site says it is open to the whole human race, whatever their religion.

It grew out of a family story. Milly Hauss de Trouyet dreamed of building a chapel on the heights above Acapulco and picked this spot, but died before it was built; her husband, the businessman Carlos Trouyet, who had founded the Las Brisas development in the late 1950s, carried out her wish after their sons Jorge and Carlos died in a private plane crash in 1967. Architect Gabriel Chávez de la Mora designed the A-frame chapel, which opened in 1971, with green onyx, stone and granite panels, pink Querétaro paving and tropical woods. The brothers and their parents are buried in a crypt on the lower level, and at the foot of the cross stands a 1970 bronze by sculptor Claudio Favier of two right hands raised together in prayer, a symbol of the brothers' bond.

Most visitors come for the calm gardens and the view: from the terraces the whole sweep of the bay opens up, from Las Brisas and the Costera to the old town and La Roqueta. The chapel holds Sunday masses for residents and the public and is a favourite place for weddings, including couples of different faiths. There is no electric lighting inside, so ceremonies end by 6 pm. Because the chapel sits inside a private, gated estate, you may be asked to leave an ID at the gate.