Before I landed in Colombia, there was one image set in my mind. It was of a Gothic cathedral that looked like it belonged in Europe, straddling a gorge. When I learned that it was near the city of Pasto, I knew I had to go there. This architectural marvel is built inside the canyon of the Guáitara River and is renowned for its dramatic location and Gothic Revival style.
This post contains affiliate links that can earn this website a small income. They will not cost you anything to use.
The legend associated with Las Lajas Cathedral is centered around the miraculous healing of the deaf-mute girl after the Virgin Mary appeared to her in the 1500s. The mother and daughter were passing through the gorge, seeking refuge from a storm when the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared on a rock.
The child, who was unable to speak or hear, began to communicate and was miraculously healed. In gratitude, the mother and daughter built a small shrine, which eventually evolved into the magnificent cathedral we see today.
The construction of the current Las Lajas Cathedral began in 1916 and continued for several decades, with the final touches completed in the mid-20th century. Las Lajas Cathedral has become a pilgrimage site, attracting visitors from Colombia and beyond. Pilgrims travel to the sanctuary to seek blessings, perform religious rituals, and experience the spiritual atmosphere of the place.
It gets its name from the type of rock it sits upon. Visitors can either take a teleforico (cable car) from a nearby town to reach it directly or take the long walk, as the pilgrims do, from the top of the canyon. It’s a nice place to light a candle and pause for some quiet reflection.
The Las Lajas Shrine may be difficult to reach for most travelers to Colombia, but it’s well worth the journey, believer or not.
If You Go
The Las Lajas Shrine is accessible by day tour from the Colombian cities of Pasto and Ipiales, home to a small regional airport, and from parts of northern Ecuador, including Tulcan and Quito. Potosi is the closest town, where you’ll find restaurants, and hotels are right outside the cathedral.
Leave a Reply