Our Zipaquira Tour from Bogota goes to the colonial town of Zipaquira. This city claims its fame with its subterranean salt cathedral built inside of a salt mine. But its old-world architecture and city center will charm you even further.
Zipaquira Tour from Bogota Description:
Outside of Bogota, you’ll find Zipaquira. An indigenous word meaning “city of our father” and its popular tourist destination, the salt cathedral. Upon leaving Bogotá, we’ll see various smaller villages on our way to Zipaquira.
The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira (Spanish: Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá) is an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 meters (220 yds) underground in a halite mountain near the city of Zipaquira.
Similarly, the temple at the bottom has three sections, representing the birth, life, and death of Jesus. The icons, ornaments, and architectural details are hand carved in the halite rock.
Some marble sculptures are also included. The Cathedral is certainly considered one of the most notable achievements of Colombian architecture, being described as a “Jewel of Modern Architecture”.
The cathedral represents a valuable cultural, environmental, and religious patrimony for the Colombian people. The cathedral is a functioning church that receives as many as 3,000 visitors on Sundays. However, it has no bishop and therefore no official status as a cathedral in Catholicism.
We’ll first explore the old town of Zipaquira and admire its original architecture and old colonial atmosphere. Then comes the time to see the engineering masterpiece more than 180 m (590 ft) below the Earth’s surface.
Constructed by Colombian miners, this cathedral will fill you with a sense of majesty, as it’s the perfect combination of engineering and art. Your guide will explain how miners worked in this area and give you time to explore this unique place yourself.
When does it run? Daily
Duration: 5 hours (2 hours total in the car)
Highlights:
- Visit the colonial town of Zipaquirá
- Northern Bogotá and the surrounding populations
- Salt mine & cathedral of Zipaquirá
- Colonial village of Zipaquirá
Inclusions:
- Private transportation and driver
- Bilingual guide
- Entrance to the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira
- Water
- Medical insurance
Exclusions:
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Lunch
Please Note:
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- We recommend bringing a raincoat if rain is in the forecast.