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Popayán has a nice collection of colonial churches scattered throughout the whitewashed historic city center. They were all closed until after 3:30pm on the Friday I visited but I was able to admire most of them from the outside.
Church of San Francisco
The biggest and most beautiful of the churches is the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco). It’s known as one of the best examples of baroque architecture in Colombia.
Inside, there are several beautiful wooden altars. In 1983, an earthquake cracked open the church exposing two mummies. We didn’t get to see them.
Church of San Agustín
The only other church I was able to enter was the Church of San Agustín (Iglesia de San Agustín). The original church was built in the late 17th century but destroyed in an earthquake in 1736. The current church is the one that was rebuilt after the earthquake.
Cathedral Basilica Our Lady of the Assumption
In Parque Caldas is the Cathedral Basilica Our Lady of the Assumption (Catedral Basílica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción). It was originally a straw hut, but in 1609 a mud and brick structure was built. The current church was built between 1859 and 1906.
Other Churches
Other churches I passed by were the Church of San José (Iglesia de San José), built in 1702; the Church of Santo Domingo (Iglesia de Santo Domingo); and Popayán’s oldest church, the Hermitage (La Ermita), which dates back to 1546.
Not as noticeable were the Church of the Incarnation (Iglesia de la Encarnación) and the Mount Carmel Church (Iglesia del Carmen).
Chapel of Bethlehem
On a hill outside of town is the Chapel of Bethlehem (Capilla de Belén). The original chapel was built in 1717 but destroyed in the 1983 earthquake. There are also some nice views of the city. To reach it, there are a series of stone steps. We decided to take a taxi because locals told us it might not be safe to walk up.
