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Catedral De Sal

Churches & cathedrals ·Zipaquirá ·Closed
4.55K
#3Churches & cathedrals in ColombiaMost reviewed in ZipaquiráTravelers' Choice 2025
  • from COP 110000
  • Good on a rainy day
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About

Catedral de Sal (Salt Cathedral): an underground Roman Catholic church in a salt mine at Zipaquirá, 49 km north of Bogotá.

More photos 11

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Catedral De Sal — Underground auditorium with rows of seats facing a bright stage

Catedral De Sal — Underground auditorium with rows of seats facing a bright stageCatedral De Sal — Main sanctuary with a towering cross and visitors belowCatedral De Sal — Blue-lit circular salt pool beneath the cathedral’s crossCatedral De Sal — Nativity figures arranged in a blue-lit underground grottoCatedral De Sal — Sculpted figures arranged in a chamber beneath blue-lit rockCatedral De Sal — Colorfully illuminated passage leading toward a crossCatedral De Sal — Large oval salt pool glowing blue in a dark chamberCatedral De Sal — Carved stone cross-shaped installation in a dim underground roomCatedral De Sal — Bright white cross mounted against a dark salt wallCatedral De Sal — Green-lit rocky chamber with a recessed stone formationCatedral De Sal — Standing statue displayed in a carved stone alcove

Why go

  • The 16-metre cross and the main altar in the central nave.
  • The Stations of the Cross, small altars cut from salt rock along the entrance tunnel.
  • La Creación del Hombre, a marble homage to Michelangelo, at the back of the nave by Carlos Enrique Rodríguez Arango.
  • The church won the most votes in a 2007 contest for the country's seven wonders.

Opening hours

Today09:00 – 18:00Show all
Monday09:00 – 18:00
Tuesday09:00 – 18:00
Wednesday09:00 – 18:00
Thursday09:00 – 18:00
Friday09:00 – 18:00
Saturday09:00 – 18:00
Sunday09:00 – 18:00

Know before you go

  • A guided tour is offered in Spanish or English.
  • Vehicle access to the inner space is for emergencies only.

Legends and hidden details

  • The mine was worked on four levels, and the first cathedral sat on the second.
  • A chapel stood in the mine before 1954.

Services and visiting hours

Opening hours
Every day, 09:00 to 18:00

Interesting facts8

1/8

  1. The lowest temple has three sections for the birth, life and death of Jesus.

    Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá - Wikipedia

  2. Three naves are joined by a crack that stands for the birth and death of Christ.

    Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá - Wikipedia

  3. Icons, ornaments and architectural details are hand carved in the halite rock, with some marble sculptures.

    Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá - Wikipedia

  4. Four cylindrical columns stand for the four Evangelists.

    Catedral de Sal - Wikipedia

  5. It is one of the best-known shrines dedicated to the way of the cross.

    Cathédrale de sel de Zipaquirá - Wikipedia
  6. 3,000 visitors

    Up to 3,000 visitors come on Sundays to this working church, which has no bishop and no cathedral status.

    Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá - Wikipedia
  7. 285 million

    The first church cost over 285 million U.S. dollars to build.

    Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá - Wikipedia

  8. It won the title 'Joya Arquitectónica de la Modernidad', a jewel of modern architecture.

    Catedral de Sal - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

Miners carved the first church into the walls of their own mine. Safety problems in the active mine closed it, and the present cathedral was built deeper, below the old one.

  1. 250 million years agoSalt deposits form here. The Andes later raise them above sea level.
  2. 5th centuryThe Muisca start mining halite here, a key part of their economy.
  3. 1801Alexander von Humboldt visits the mine and documents the salt mining.
  4. 1932Luis Ángel Arango proposes an underground chapel after seeing the miners' devotion.
  5. 1954The first cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, is inaugurated on August 15.
Show all
  1. 1990The first cathedral closes over structural weakness and safety problems in the active mine.
  2. 1991Construction of the new cathedral begins, 60 metres below the old one.
  3. 1995The new cathedral is inaugurated on December 16.

How to get there

  • CarDrive from Bogotá on national highway 45A to Zipaquirá, 49 km north. Address: Carrera 6 Calle 1, Zipaquirá.
  • TrainTake the Tren Turístico de la Sabana tourist train from Bogotá, a 48 km trip.

Sources: Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá - Wikipedia · Zipaquirá - Wikivoyage (see) · Catedral de Sal - Wikipedia · Cathédrale de sel de Zipaquirá - Wikipedia · checked 19 Oct 2026

Where
Parque De La Sal Villaveces Park, Zipaquira Cundinamarca Department

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

How long does a visit to the Catedral de Sal take?

A visit with the guided tour takes more than three hours. The tour is offered in Spanish or English.

How high is the Catedral de Sal above sea level?

The church stands at 2,652 m above sea level, in Zipaquirá, 49 km north of Bogotá.

Is the Catedral de Sal a cathedral?

No. It is a working church with no bishop and no official cathedral status.

How many visitors does the Catedral de Sal get on Sundays?

Up to 3,000 visitors come on Sundays.

Who runs the train to the Catedral de Sal?

The Tren Turístico de la Sabana is operated by Ferrocarriles de la Sabana de Bogotá.

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