Is the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá Worth Visiting?

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, or the Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá, is one of the most popular tourist destinations outside of Bogotá and a major pilgrimage site for Roman Catholics in Colombia.

If you’re not all that into churches and feel indifferent about rock salt, it may not be at the top of your list as you plot your South American adventures. 

I urge you to reconsider. I’m glad it made it on our list as a unique way to spend your time, if only to marvel at this architectural wonder.

The Bogotá Salt Cathedral is more than a church and certainly more than a salt mining operation. It’s one of the best Bogotá day trips and an impressive site, no matter your faith.

Is the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá worth visiting?

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is definitely worth visiting for its description alone. This is an underground church carved within the tunnels of a salt mine. You’ll travel about 660 feet below the surface to see the magic inside, adding to the ambiance.

Fun fact: If you love a good salt mine, the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Kraków, Poland, is worth a look, too.

Why is the Salt Cathedral so popular?

The Salt Cathedral is known for being an impressive example of Colombian architecture, where you wouldn’t expect it. 

For Roman Catholics, the underground cathedral is known as a place of pilgrimage. For Colombians more generally, it’s a place of cultural and spiritual significance.

It’s also popular for its location. The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is located near Zipaquirá, just under an hour north of Bogotá. That’s a big reason why it’s such a popular day trip from the capital city for both nationals and tourists. 

A Brief History of the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

Before the Salt Cathedral was a pilgrimage site, it was used in legitimate salt mining operations. Construction on the mine began in 1815, and by 1876, it boasted four tunnels. 

Around 1932, miners decided they needed some help from above as they continued their operations, so they carved an altar for morning prayers before they began work. This was a place where they could ask for protection in what was a very dangerous job. 

By 1950, the miners decided they wanted to go bigger and better. Construction on a new cathedral began, and the Colombian salt church was completed just four years later. 

The biggest coup in the new and improved Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá was the enormous cross that remains the largest underground cross in the world.

That and the additional walkways and basilica dome solidified the cathedral as more than a salt mine but a pilgrimage site. 

Unfortunately, the mine had to shut down for safety concerns in the early 1990s. By 1995, a second new cathedral was built to address safety concerns and allow the public to return for worship services.

This version included additional art from local craftspeople and former miners in the form of impressive statues depicting holy scenes. The Salt Cathedral, as you see it today, has operated as such since 1995.

Note: The statues you’ll encounter as made of sandstone, not halite, to withstand the test of time. The only exception is the bust of Pope Francis.

How to Get to the Salt Cathedral

You can get to the Salt Cathedral in a few different ways:

• Take a bus. You can take a TransMilenio bus or a regular bus from Portal Norte station in Bogotá to Zipaquirá. Look for buses marked as going to the cathedral or Zipaquirá. You’ll have a 20-minute walk from there to the ticket office.
• Hire a driver. The Zipaquirá salt mine was the last stop on our Bogotá day trip that included Casa Loca in Guatavita and Lake Guatavita. The tour was inexpensive, but our driver only spoke Spanish, so there were some lost-in-translation moments. 
• Go on a guided tour. Many guided day trips include the Salt Cathedral as part of their itineraries. Some of them include guides that will walk you around the historical site for a more personalized approach.

In hindsight, I’d still go with a driver because of the efficiency, but would make sure he or she was English-speaking. We just missed so much during our day outside of the city. 

If you’d like to check out guided tours before traveling to Colombia, start with these options with good reviews:

How much does it cost to go to the Salt Cathedral?

The cost of entering the Salt Cathedral can vary. There are several different ticket types, but basic “passports” online start at 118,000 Colombian pesos per person. Colombians pay a discounted rate; Zipaquirá locals pay even less.

Expect to pay a little more if you’d like a guide, but we didn’t find it necessary with our audio guides.

Our guide purchased Salt Cathedral tickets off the street to cover our admission, which felt sketchy as heck, but they cost the same as tickets upon arrival at the ticket booths.

It felt like maybe there was some kind of quid pro quo situation going on. We didn’t see a line at the main entrance, so purchasing tickets ahead of time didn’t seem necessary. Any add-ons outside of a self-guided tour and your general entrance fee are extra. 

What to Expect at the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

The Salt Cathedral tour is about two hours long if you choose to do a guided tour. I don’t think you need one. Expect to spend at least an hour on a self-guided audio tour. It’s more likely you’ll spend around two hours if you like contemplative wandering.

Once you’re inside the space, you’ll get an audio guide in your native language before starting your self-guided tour. The audio guide in English was very helpful, as I’m not sure I would have known what I was looking at otherwise.

The tour starts at the mouth of the mine, where you’ll immediately notice the smell of the minerals.

From there, you’ll walk through narrated stops that depict the 14 stages of the cross. 

Fun fact: You’ll know you’re on the right track by the carved Roman numerals at each stop, so brush up on those numbers if it’s been a while. 

There are three different sections to walk through that represent the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ.

As this is a holy place, you may notice visitors walking through the stages of the cross in a prayerful way. Be respectful as you move through.

Don’t stand or walk on the kneelers — you’ll see stone or rock salt slabs to kneel on in front of each cross — and keep your voice down.

Each station is essentially a chapel, so treat it as such. Where you can wander (and where you shouldn’t) should be quite obvious as you explore. You’ll see chained-off areas and barriers at points that aren’t for visitors.

It’s all impressively represented with crosses made of salt and thematic lighting. The main nave of the three-nave total was perhaps the most impressive. We walked up as a light show began, so be warned if you’re sensitive to strobe effects and flashing lights.

Some of the sections of the main nave are better-lit than those you’ve explored so far. Look up and around you. The chandeliers decorating the main chapel were my favorite part of the tour.

Your self-guided tour is done once you’re finished at the main chapel. You’ll exit via a gift shop, or what resembles a series of shops selling jewelry, salt mine memories, and snacks.

Note: That all felt a little weird, but whatever. I’ve seen tchotchke shops in more random areas.

You’ll return to where you started via a charming little train that may just be the best part if you’re traveling with anyone who loves a good train. You can also walk back the same way you came in, but that’s not as fun.

More Things to Do at the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

Once you’re outside, there are a few more ways to pass the time if you have it:

• Visit the Brine Museum. This is a modest museum on-site that we didn’t get extra tickets for, which goes into how the salt was processed here back in the day. It’s one of the original structures of the old salt mining operation.
• Book guided specialty tours. There is a guided hard hat tour that takes you deeper into the church. That sounded like fun, but we just didn’t have the time to experience this place as the miners did.
• Tackle the rock climbing wall. You’ll see a large climbing wall at the entrance to the Salt Cathedral. If you like living your life aggressively, you can pay extra to make it happen and impress your friends.
• Watch a 3D movie. Most tickets include a 3D movie with a little extra history on salt production in the mine and the church itself. Honestly, whether you did a self-guided or guided tour, you’ve learned all you need to know.
• Stroll the Salt Footprints Walk: This is a guided walk through the historic center of Zipaquirá to dig into the rest of the town’s architectural sites. You’d likely only have time for this if you got to the mine on your own.
• Have a snack. There are various restaurants and snack shops outside of what resembles a salt-themed amusement park if you need a treat or an ice cream cone. I’m sure some of those snacks are salty, too.

READ MORE: There is a lot to do in Bogotá, too. Steal my three-day itinerary.

Fun Facts about the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral

Interested in some fun facts about the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral? Here are a few:

• To protect themselves from poisonous gases and other occupational hazards, the miners would start each day with prayers to the Virgin of the Rosary of Guasá. This is who they considered to be the patron saint of miners.
• The Salt Cathedral operates as a functioning church to this day. Thousands of visitors come on Sundays for mass. 
• As it has no bishop, it’s not considered an official cathedral in the eyes of the Catholic church. That doesn’t stop everyone from calling it the Salt Cathedral.
• You can get married in the Salt Cathedral if you’d like. The space has also been used for a variety of family and professional functions. The food hall alone has a capacity of 300 people.
• Check online for special events at the Salt Cathedral. Outside of holy days, the church hosts live music performances, so you may be treated to the Salt Cathedral band if you’re lucky.

READ MORE: Love a spiritual place? Plan a trip to Sedona, Arizona, for its spiritual vortexes.

You should visit the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá.

The Salt Cathedral in Colombia is important because of its significance to the Colombian people. It’s a religious site, an architectural site, and a cultural site all in one.

It was also one of the more unique experiences we had in Colombia, and I’m glad we were able to make the trip. I was raised Catholic, but even if you know nothing about the religion, it’s still an important architectural site in the South American country.

It’s also basically a work of art.

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