La Merced Church & Archaeological Museum
Iglesia y Museo Arqueológico La Merced
16th-century church complex from Cali’s founding years, with an archaeological museum displaying pre-Columbian pottery.
La Merced is Cali’s oldest architectural complex, and legend has it that the first Mass in the city, founded in 1536, was held here. The white-walled, red-tiled church and monastery keep a simple colonial style. Within the convent, the La Merced Archaeological Museum displays pottery and stoneware from pre-Columbian cultures such as Calima, Tolima and Nariño. The adjacent building once housed a religious art museum. It is closed on Sundays and admission is inexpensive. Visit together with the Calima Gold Museum across the way.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat about 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Nearby sights
- Calima Gold Museum
- Teatro Municipal Enrique Buenaventura
- Torre Mudéjar & San Francisco Church
- Bulevar del Río
- Plaza de Caicedo
- San Antonio Neighborhood
- La Ermita Church
- San Antonio Hill & Chapel