Last updated on December 20, 2023.

Much to the dismay of the conquistadors, the Legend of El Dorado and its huge city made of gold was not true. Instead, they stumbled across another valuable resource – salt.

The hills to the north of Bogotá were once part of an ocean. The ocean dried up and the salt was trapped and covered by the mountains and hills. Eventually, the mining operations started by the native Muisca people were exploited by the Spaniards. These mines became much more modern and organized throughout the years to maximize the extraction of salt.

 

Salt Cathedral

The most famous salt mines are in the city of Zipaquirá (also called Zipa). In 1954, miners finished construction on a huge cathedral located inside the mines. This cathedral became a tourist attraction which was later closed in 1990 for safety reasons. Work on a new cathedral was completed in 1995. This new cathedral is now one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country.

Entrance to the complex
Entrance to the complex
Path up to the mine shaft
Path up to the mine shaft

 

Admission

The Salt Cathedral (Catedral de Sal) is open daily from 9am to 5:30pm. General admission for foreigners is COP$98,000 for adults and COP$84,000 for seniors and children aged four to 12. For Colombian citizens and residents it’s COP$61,000 for adults and COP$50,000 for children. Rates are current as of April 2023. There are other activities available for an additional price, such as wall climbing, museums, and guided tours of the working mine and the town of Zipaquira.

Outside the Catedral de Sal in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Outside the Salt Cathedral
Above ground
Above ground
Public art
Public art

 

Visiting the Mine

The mine has one entrance and at first must be done with a guide. Once the tour starts, however, you can ditch the guide and wander around on your own. Audio guides are also available.

Entrance to the shaft
Entrance to the shaft
Entrance to the shaft at the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Entrance to the shaft

The first parts are quite boring, featuring only crosses carved out of salt. The most interesting thing you’ll see at the beginning is the sheer size of the caverns created to extract the salt. Beams of light are projected outward to show just how big these mines are.

Tourists posing with a cross made of salt
Tourists posing with a cross made of salt
Catedral de Sal in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Salt Cathedral

Once you get to the cathedral itself, it becomes a little more interesting. One of these huge caverns was transformed into an actual cathedral. There are pews facing a giant cross in the altar, a carving of the Holy Family, and even a replica of Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” carved into salt.

Catedral de Sal in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Salt Cathedral
Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” carved into salt at the Catedral de Sal in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” carved into salt
Chapel
Chapel

To the side of the cathedral is another huge cavern full of shops, a small theatre with a short 3D movie about the salt industry, and a restaurant. There’s also a reflecting pool.

Shopping area
Shopping area
Goods for sale
Goods for sale
Gift shop at the Catedral de Sal in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Gift shop
Reflecting pool
Reflecting pool

For anyone interested in buying certified Colombian emeralds, this is the place to do it. Emeralds are very cheap inside the mine because it’s set up as a tax-free zone. Palacio de la Esmeralda are the wholesalers that operate the store and they have other locations in Bogotá.

Statues at Palacio de la Esmeralda
Statues at Palacio de la Esmeralda
Shopping area
Emerald stores

 

My Impressions

Visiting this “First Wonder of Colombia” was a good experience but it’s also a big tourist trap. It wasn’t as impressive as I had hoped, plus there’s a lot of hype behind it. Anyway, if you decide to visit it can be completed in about 90 minutes. It’s good to wear comfortable shoes and if you get cold easily, bring a jacket.

For a more in-depth look at the salt mining industry, visit nearby Nemocón. Buses run frequently between Nemocón and Zipaquirá. The ride takes just under a half hour. You can get out of the bus near the entrance to the Nemocón Salt Mine. We enjoyed our visit to Nemocón Salt Mine much more than the Salt Cathedral. There were fewer people and it’s not Disney-fied.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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