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Though the cathedral of Las Lajas is the main attraction of a visit here, the canyon itself is quite stunning in its own right and there are trails that line it on either side. You can walk along the Guáitara River that formed it and see a few waterfalls along the way. Even a cursory exploration of the canyon provides nice views of it and the cathedral that now looms above you!
Written Jan 21, 2011
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The doors of the cathedral are also stunning, with intricate carved figures that herald again that little expense was spared in building this monument to the apparition that obviously had garnered many contributions over the years since the original church in this place was erected.
Many stunning statues adorn the exterior of Las Lajas which add a special aura to the structure. Particularly intriguing is the angel who stands sentinel between the two large wooden doors that make the entrance. Another fine piece of work is the winged angel-warrior standing in conquest over a demonic half-man/half-dragon.
Written Jan 21, 2011
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The cathedral's interior is quite beautiful in its simplicity, mostly in a creamy white with gold trim. It features very high Gothic vaulted ceilings and a series of very pretty chandeliers that illuminate it well. There are numerous stunning stained glass windows to round out your experience including a circular one above the entrance.
Even with its remote location, the church seemed to always have someone in it and on both occasions when we were its vicinity there was a mass in session, making it difficult to get perfect photos. It does however have great natural light with many large windows so there is no need for a tripod if you are there on a fairly sunny day.
Written Jan 21, 2011
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Though a church was built soon after the vision of Maria Mueces in the mid-1700s, the much more elaborate and large cathedral that spans the gorge today was not built until the 20th century. In fact, it took over thirty years to complete the ambitious project, from 1916 to 1949. It was built in a Gothic revival style which looks stunning during the day and somewhat eerie on a cold damp night.
We had very high expectations of the cathedral and the gorge in which it sits. It was, after all, the sole reason we were venturing to the south of Colombia. Of course, as we researched further, some of the stops along the way sounded equally enticing but ultimately if it were not for Las Lajas, it is not likely we would have done any of that research. Colombia is a huge country and the idea of long bus trips is not something we look forward to. So, we were anticipating quite a church and though in some ways it was a bit disappointing, I think it was mostly due to its size more than anything else. It was smaller than we had imagined but that said, the setting was stunning and the actual cathedral was quite intricate in its detail if not as big as it projected itself in photos.
It's well worth walking on the various trails that emanate from the cathedral as they offer many different views of it, making for some interesting photos.
Written Jan 21, 2011
If you are in the need of a miracle, look no further. Spanning one gorgeous gorge sits the neo-Gothic Santurio de Las Lajas, an other-worldly sight especially at night. Though the original church in...
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