What should one do if evil spirits live in a cave? Build a temple there, sure! The Colombians did just that, having found a small cave in the mountains near the city of Pasto. Now, a real palace – the neo-Gothic Las Lajas Shrine – shines in its place.

Of course, a lot of time passed between the cave discovery and the temple being built. There is a legend: a woman with her deaf-mute daughter passed by the cave when they saw the face of Our Lady on the rock, and the girl found her tongue. But after a while, she fell ill and died. The mother came to the place where they saw Our Lady and began to pray. The saint responded to the prayers of the inconsolable mother and revived the daughter. The reputation of the cave changed, and it became a pilgrimage destination. A small chapel was built nearby. After a while, another one appeared on the other side of the gorge. After another 32 years, it was decided to connect the two churches with a bridge and build a large temple to accommodate all believers. The construction was completed in 1948.

Indeed, the Las Lajas Shrine of Our Lady resembles a fairytale castle that hides a princess, with a dragon guarding her door. It is called one of the seven wonders of Colombia, and there is a reason. The views are worth something! As soon as you take the path to the temple, you will get stunned by the beauty. It will take you a lot of effort to make yourself move on. Having visited the temple, you can walk around the area. Have time to admire the waterfall, dive in the coolness of the exotic forest, and enjoy a boat ride.

Upwards directed turrets, narrow, elongated lancet windows, an arched bridge that hosts the temple, the combination of dark and white stone decoration – all this makes the shrine look weightless as if it will fly away if you touch it.

When dusk falls on the country, the temple illumination turns on. Bright lights create an even more magical atmosphere.