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Other than the cathedral on Plaza de Bolívar, there are a handful of beautiful colonial churches worth visiting in Tunja. Some are active as churches while others have been turned into museums. They’re all within three blocks of the plaza.
Church of Santa Bárbara
A couple blocks south of the plaza is the Church of Santa Barbara (Iglesia de Santa Bárbara), which was built in 1599. Unfortunately, it was closed when we walked by.
Church of Santo Domingo
One block west of the plaza is the Church of Santo Domingo (Iglesia de Santo Domingo). Built in 1560, it’s considered by many to be the most beautiful active church in Tunja.
Inside the entrance is the tomb of Captain García Arias Maldonado and his sons. It’s dated 1568, and no, I have no idea who he was.
The interior has elaborate decorations in red and gold. Pay special attention to the symbols on the walls and ceiling, and make sure you visit the chapels.
Church of San Francisco
Two blocks north of the plaza is the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco). It sits on a small plaza of its own. The church was built between 1570 and 1640. It was closed when we walked by.
Cloister of San Agustín
Three blocks north of the plaza, on a small park, Parque Pinzón (founded in 1903), is the Cloister of San Agustín (Claustro de San Agustín).
Originally built between 1578 and 1659, the church was decommissioned in 1822. It served as a school, military barracks, hospital, and prison, and has since been converted to a cultural center. It’s free to enter (as of June 2024) and see the stunning courtyard as well as a few frescoes that have been uncovered. All you need are some coins to store your things in the lockers (no bags allowed).
Santa Clara la Real
Finally, two blocks east of the plaza, is the Chapel and Museum of Santa Clara la Real (Capilla y Museo de Santa Clara la Real). It was built in 1571 and was the first convent established in the Kingdom of New Granada. The chapel and convent are now a museum, and the chapel is the most spectacular religious building in Tunja.
Knock on the door and wait a few minutes because it takes a while for the guide to let you in. It costs COP$4,000 to enter (as of June 2021). Our guide did a fantastic job giving us information about the history of the convent as well as the artistic details of the chapel (all in Spanish).
Conclusion
There are a few more colonial churches in town, but we didn’t visit them due to time constraints. In any case, we were able to see the best churches.
