Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
What are you looking at through your office windows this Monday morning? Metallic skyscrapers? The apartments of city-dwellers? Well feast your eyes on this architectural marvel nestled in the canyon of the Guaitara River; we’re sure it will impress more than whatever’s out there.
![](https://images.blacktomato.com/2013/08/lajas-redo.jpg?fit=crop&fm=pjpg&h=740&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1100&wpsize=article-image&s=0f2b3876544fbd1e5ca0fd41e1817df3)
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Las Lajas Sanctuary is an architectural marvel, not only because of its beautiful Gothic Revivalist style, but because of the fact that it was built in a precarious gorge…and on the side of a mountain… over 100 years ago. Such a feat would be difficult to accomplish now, let alone a century ago. But it was accomplished, marvellously so; and we’re all the luckier for it.
The story goes that in 1754, a woman and her deaf and mute child were caught in a raging storm. The pair decided to seek shelter from the weather in the gorge, upon which they felt a force calling out to them; and so appeared the Virgin Mary on the rocks above and the daughter was instantly cured of her deafness and spoke her first words.
![](https://images.blacktomato.com/2013/08/lakas-4.jpg?fit=crop&fm=pjpg&h=740&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1100&wpsize=article-image&s=ba89870ec56e921c277c0cc20a9433f3)
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Regardless of whether you’re making a pilgrimage or simply travelling through to near-by neighbouring Ecuador, Las Lajas is a sight that will astound. The beautiful white stones and intricate spires contrast magnificently with the surrounding mountain-scape and the verdant Colombian hills.
See, we told you it was better than that office view…