Last updated on December 19, 2023.
The town of Santuario, sitting high in the mountains, is one of the most beautiful towns in the department of Risaralda. It’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia and was founded on July 20, 1886 by settlers from southwest Antioquia.
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Town Gate
The road to the town passes through an arch with a statue of the Virgin on top. It’s one of the most important symbols of Santuario.
Plaza
The town plaza is the center of life in Santuario. It contains lots of nice tall trees and plenty of places to sit. It’s been remodeled since my first visit in February 2015 and looks much nicer.
The center of the plaza features a bust of Simón Bolívar, the liberator of Colombia. Scattered throughout are small monuments and decorations. One of them is a monument to the founders of Santuario, dedicated on November 14, 1973.
Buildings around the Plaza
Around the plaza are a few colonial buildings, including the Plaza de Mercado, a hotel, shops, and private residences. The streets have been narrowed down to a single lane and the sidewalks amplified to allow businesses to put more tables outside and more space for people to walk. It’s a wonderful change that has been positive for the town.
One of my favorite buildings is decorated with tiles from top to bottom. It’s a residential building with a supermarket on the ground floor.
Mary Immaculate Church
Mary Immaculate Church (Iglesia María Inmaculada) doesn’t look like much from the outside but it has a beautiful interior. There are also some nice stained glass windows.
Everything inside is carved out of wood, including the confessionary and the altar.
Around Town
If you venture outside of the plaza, you might spot some of the interesting murals scattered around town.
There are also plenty of beautiful balconies and colorful buildings as well. Most of them are located on Calle Real, which is the town’s famous street that leads into the plaza.