Las Lajas Sanctuary
Santuario de Las Lajas
A neo-Gothic church built on a bridge over the Guáitara River canyon, often hailed as one of the most beautiful churches in the world.
The Santuario de Las Lajas sits on the outskirts of Ipiales. Its main body is a neo-Gothic building of grey-white stone, built between 1916 and 1949. It spans a roughly 100-metre-deep canyon of the Guáitara River on an arched bridge that connects both sides. The church's rear wall is the rock face where, according to legend, an image of the Virgin Mary appeared in 1754. A 15-minute walk down the canyon steps, or a cable car ride, gives you a panoramic view of the church. The waterfall across the canyon and the wall of votive plaques are also impressive. Entry is free. The sanctuary is about 80 km from Pasto. Take a bus to Ipiales (about 2 hours), then transfer to a minibus or taxi (about 15 minutes).
Opening hours
About 06:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Laguna Verde (Azufral)
- Galeras Volcano
- Sandoná
- Church of Santiago Apóstol
- Taminango Museum
- Church of La Merced
- Nariño Gold Museum
- Blacks and Whites' Carnival