 After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire , the conquistadors decided to build their church on the site of the <unk> Mayor of the Aztec city of <unk> to consolidate Spanish power over the newly conquered domain . Hernán Cortés and the other conquistadors used the stones from the destroyed temple of the Aztec god of war <unk> , principal deity of the <unk> , to build the church . Cortés ordered the original church 's construction after he returned from exploring what is now Honduras . <unk> Martín de <unk> was the first director of this project from <unk> to 1532 . Juan de Zumárraga , the first Bishop of the first See of the New World , established in the <unk> of New Spain , promoted this church 's completion . Zumárraga 's Cathedral was located in the northeast portion of what is now the cathedral . It had three naves separated by three <unk> columns . The central roof was <unk> with intricate carvings done by Juan <unk> <unk> and gilded by Francisco de <unk> and <unk> de la <unk> . The main door was probably of Renaissance style . The choir area had 48 seats made of <unk> wood crafted by Adrian <unk> and Juan <unk> . However , this church was soon considered inadequate for the growing importance of the capital of New Spain . 
