Santuario de Las Lajas

A neo-Gothic basilica built across the Guáitara canyon, 7 km from the Ecuadorian border at Ipiales and about 90 km south of Pasto. The structure spans the gorge on a stone bridge, with the church itself rising from the cliff on the far side. The current building was completed in 1949, replacing an 18th-century pilgrim chapel.

Among the most photographed religious sites in Colombia and an essential day trip from Pasto. Take warm clothing — the canyon is windy and the altitude is over 2,600 m.

things to do sight
A story
The basilica is built directly into the cliff face of the Guáitara canyon and reached by a 50 m stone bridge across the gorge. The image of the Virgin venerated inside the church is said to have appeared spontaneously on the rock face in 1754 and has resisted every attempt to determine its origin — paint, dye, or stain.

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