Wherever the Catholic Spanish have colonized they have built many large and majestic churches and cathedrals. After destroying the old sacred precinct of the Aztecs they built the magnificent Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City. But perhaps one of the most unusual in the Spanish-speaking world is the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira near the city of Zipaquira in Colombia.
It is an underground Roman Catholic church built into the tunnels of a salt mine 200 meters or 660 feet underground. The Salt Cathedral is both a tourist destination and a place of pilgrimage within the country. The Cathedral is considered one of the most stunning Colombian architectural achievements with some even calling it a Jewel of Modern Architecture.
The Story Of The Salt Cathedral
The geological formations that make up the deposits in Zipaquira were formed around 250 million years ago as they were raised up above sea level - at the same time that the Andes were formed. 250 million years ago is the earliest time of the dinosaurs.
The cathedral is remarkable, sitting in the old salt mines from which millions of tons of rock salt has been extracted in the large two hundred years. In fact, these halite mines have been exploited long before the European era in the Americas. They were used by the Musica culture since the 5th century BC.
The saline church comes from modest beginnings. Mining in these caverns was very dangerous. At first, it was just the miners praying in a small sanctuary they had built inside the caverns. They would pray to the patron saint of miners to protect them from the hazards of mining - like explosions, toxic gases, and other mining perils.
- Virgin of The Rosary of Guasa: The Patron Saint of Miners
- First Sanctuary: Built In The 1930s
- Closed: The First Church Was Closed Because of Structural Problems
The Colombian government was persuaded to convert the empty spaces into a church in 1953 but it was closed in 1990 due to structural problems. Then 127 miners and some sculptors were brought in to build the cathedral that one can see and enjoy today (it's 200 feet below the original cathedral). The new cathedral was completed in 1995.
The Salt Cathedral Today
The Salt Cathedral is technically not a cathedral as it does not have a bishop and thereby has no official status as a cathedral within Catholicism. Nevertheless, it manages to draw around 3,000 visitors on Sundays.
- Visitors On Sundays: Around 3,000 Visitors
Today visiting the Salt Cathedral is an easy excursion from Bogota. It is located only around 49 kilometers or 30 miles north of Bogota at an altitude of around 2,652 meters or 8,700 feet.
- Location: 49 Kilometers or 30 Miles North of Bogota
The tunnel leading to the Salt Cathedral has been described by NPR as feeling "more like a byway into the bowels of the earth. It's dark and dank, with a faint smell of sulfur in the air." But after walking along the passageway for a few hundred meters (yards) the shaft widens to reveal Roman Catholic icons - and they're carved out of salt.
The busiest time for the cathedral is during Easter when thousands of people attend the services to mark the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
At the bottom, the cathedral opens up. Here there are three naves with one representing the birth of Jesus, another the life, and another the death of Jesus. The Salt Cathedral is complete with a basilica dome, floor-to-ceiling cross illuminated with purple lights, pews, and chandeliers.
- Stations Of The Cross: At the Entrance of The Church, Has 14 Small Chapels That Represent The Stations Of The Cross And Tell The even of Jesus' Last Journey
- In The Stations: In Each Of The Stations Are a Cross And Several Kneeling Platforms
- Columns: There Are Four Large Cylindric Columns That Each Represent One Of The Four Evangelists
The cathedral is equipped with an electrical generator and there is access for vehicles into the inner space, but this is only in incase of an emergency.
- Visitors: Around 600,000 Visitors Annually
Visiting The Cathedral Today
- Opening Hours: Monday To Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm | Saturdays And Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm | Sunday Mass: At 1 pm
Note: It Pets, Food, Alcohol, And Smoking Are Forbidden Inside the Cathedral
One can find all the information on visiting the cathedral on their official website. One can see what events are being held in the cathedral and a full story of its history. The website is only in Spanish though!
Over in Europe, when the Sagrada Familia is completed it will be the largest church in the world and is a must for anyone visiting Barcelona.