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Zipaquira Salt Cathedral


It is so good to be back home!  It was almost a month long vacation visiting Colombia S.A. and this time I'm going to give you a small tour of this magnificent place I had the pleasure to visit. A Salt Cathedral in the town of Zipaquira, 48 Km. from Bogota.

When I told my kids we were going to visit a salt Cathedral they couldn't believe it. How could they possible build a church made out of salt? They asked me. I couldn't answer. I didn't know. That made the trip more exciting ;)

The structure is a masterpiece built by miners' hands and then it was turned into a magnificent temple.

The church was built within the tunnels of a salt mine 180 meters (590ft) underground, in this Halite (commonly known as rock salt, is the mineral form of sodium chloride), mountain.









Here at the entrance to the Cathedral we could smell the minerals.



A bit into it, darkness took its place.



A little farther down, lights let the visitors to discover the carved rock.



We kept walking down looking at the tunnels that house the Stations of the Cross.




The tour guy here, explaining this Station to my kids.




Each Station has a Cross and several kneeling platforms.



I'm here posing in front of one of those beautiful creations!



The rock salt beautifully carved.



At the end are three naves.  Each nave has beautiful sculptures carved by miners and sculptors.



These naves represent Jesus' birth and baptism, his life and death, and his resurrection.  Each one has an altar.



The main nave has a monumental cross, illuminated from the base up.




Posing with my kids and sister on a balcony overlooking the main nave.




A nativity.




 I liked all those layers on the walls.



But I also admired all the work done to create such an amazing art.



There are shops for you to get small salt sculptures or jewelry with diamonds or emeralds from around the area.




There is also a coffee chamber, where you can have a delicious Colombian coffee 180 meters underground!




Outside posing in front of the miner's monument.




Around Zipaquira, a small colonial town,



considered one of the oldest human settlements in the Americas.








A beautiful city that preserves some of its colonial times, like in its balconies, windows, and invaluable history!






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9 comments :

  1. Wow. That is super neat. And the place is so beautiful! It sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Welcome home!

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  2. Welcome Home, Cristina. Wow! I have never seen anything like that- Those salt carvings and stations of the cross and the naves are just awe-inspiring AND amazing!!! That must have been a very touching visit- xo Diana

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  3. thank you so much for showing this wonderful place to me.
    Blessings from Canada
    Bernice

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  4. What an amazing place! I've not heard of this before. Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us!

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  5. How beautiful! The carvings are amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this.

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  6. I have never heard of this. It is so beautiful, thanks for sharing. I think I would not like being underground though, would rather just look at pictures.

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  7. Such a neat place! Thank you for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  8. That was really interesting.. Thanks for sharing it.

    ERIKA

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  9. How very, very beautiful! Thank you for posting! I felt like I wss right there with you!

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