A large stone monastery built directly into the rock with a bridged walkway to the entrance

Las Lajas Sanctuary

Nariño, Colombia

Las Lajas Sanctuary is a beautiful church built between 1916 and 1948. It is a popular place for religious people from all over Latin America. The church is located in a stunning spot, spanning a forested gorge on the border between Colombia and Ecuador.

The story of Las Lajas Sanctuary is as amazing as its location. In 1754, a woman named Maria Meneses de Quiñones and her deaf-mute daughter Rosa were caught in a big storm near the gorge. They hid under some rocks and saw a glowing figure, believed to be the Virgin Mary. Suddenly, Rosa could hear and speak! Their story spread, and many other miracles were reported at Las Lajas. So, in 1916, people decided to build a beautiful neo-Gothic church among the green cliffs and waterfall.