Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquirá

The Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquirá — universally known as the Chinita — is the spiritual centre of Maracaibo and one of the most important Marian shrines in Venezuela. The church stands on a plaza in the old town, and the image of the Virgin inside draws pilgrims from across the country throughout the year. The November Feria de la Chinita is the biggest festival in western Venezuela: a week of religious processions, music, dancing and celebration that takes over the city centre.

The church itself is an 18th-century structure that has been modified and expanded over the centuries; the interior is richly decorated, with votive offerings left by pilgrims filling the side chapels. The plaza outside is always busy with vendors, families and devotees. Worth visiting in the early morning when the light falls through the facade and the crowds are thinner.

things to do sight
A story
The image of the Virgin venerated at the Basilica was found floating in Lake Maracaibo in 1709 — a small wooden tablet that a local woman pulled from the water and brought home. It reportedly began emitting light. The devotion that grew around it became the basis for Maracaibo's most important religious celebration: the Feria de la Chinita in November, when half the city processes, dances and celebrates the Virgin for a week. "La Chinita" is Maracaibo's other name, and it comes from this image.