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Buga is an important religious destination in Colombia and one of the country’s Heritage Towns.
Introduction to Buga
Buga, one of Colombia’s prestigious Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio), is not typically on the international tourist radar. This small city of nearly 100,000 attracts over three million Catholic pilgrims a year to the Basilica of the Lord of Miracles.
The exact date of the foundation of Buga is unknown, but it was originally located in the mountains. In 1555, it relocated to what is now the village of La Marina in present-day Tuluá and named Nueva Jerez de los Caballeros. The move was ordered by Pedro Fernández del Busto and executed by Giraldo Gil de Estupiñán.
Another move took place between 1557 and 1559, ordered by Governor Luis de Guzmán and executed by Rodrigo Díez de Fuenmayor. It was located at the foot of Cerro Pan de Azúcar east of the current city and took the name Guadalajara de Buga, after the governor’s home city. The word Buga is of Caribbean origin, after the village of Bugabá, which means “place of the spear”.
The official foundation date is accepted as March 4, 1570, when Governor Álvaro de Mendoza y Carvajal renamed it Guadalajara de Nuestra Señora de la Victoria de Buga. Governor Jerónimo de Silva later ordered the move to its current location in 1573, executed by Beltrán de Unzueta. The name was shortened back to Guadalajara de Buga. Residents began agricultural activities, especially cattle grazing, and many wealthy Spanish families moved there.
Buga has been a religious destination since the late 16th century, but its status was solidified in the 18th century. The city contributed greatly to the struggle for Colombian independence. It became a municipality on February 9, 1884, and was named a Heritage Town in 2013.
Getting to Buga
To get to Buga, it’s possible to take a bus from Cali (about 1 hour), Pereira’s bus terminal (about 2 ½ hours), and from the town of Darién on Lago Calima (about 1 hour) with TransCalima. If going on a day trip, especially on a Sunday or religious holiday, we recommend booking return tickets upon arrival. Both times we visited, we had to wait about two hours for a bus that wasn’t full.
The bus terminal in Buga is a few blocks from Parque Lineal, which is a straight shot to the basilica. To avoid walking in the terrible heat, you can take a taxi into town.
Where to Eat in Buga
We’ve only had one meal on our visits to town.
Don Karlos del Río
On our first visit, our group of eight had lunch at Don Karlos del Río, along the Guadalajara River. It’s very reasonably priced and the food is great. We ordered a huge sampler tray that the server said was good enough for six but it fed our entire group and there were even leftovers. It contained chicken, pork, ribs, fries, and arepa. They also have another location on Carrera 7.
Basilica of the Lord of Miracles
The Basilica of the Lord of Miracles (Basílica del Señor de los Milagros) is the obvious place to start exploring Buga. The huge basilica was built in 1907 to house an image of Christ on the Cross. It was found floating on the Guadalajara River by a local woman in the late 16th century. Over time, it’s purported to have grown in size while performing many miracles. The image is held in a small room behind the altar where visitors file past it.
The Basilica was designed by German-born Ecuadorian priest Juan Bautista Stiehle (1829-1899), who designed it at the same time as the Cathedral of Cuenca in Ecuador. Construction began in 1892 and it was inaugurated on August 2, 1907. Pope Pius XI granted it the title of Minor Basilica on June 23, 1937.
The Basilica is 33 meters high and 80 meters long. The clock on the left tower was made in France and installed on March 18, 1909. Nearby is a religious museum. To avoid crowds, I suggest visiting in the middle of the week, avoiding weekends and religious holidays.
Parque Lineal
Parque Lineal is a long pedestrian space stretching for about five blocks from the front of the basilica to near the bus terminal. Along both sides are several shops selling religious goods, restaurants, and some hotels. My first visit to Buga was on a Sunday morning to see the basilica during mass. The crowd stretched outside of the church into Plazoleta Lourdes out front.
Church of San Francisco
A block north of the Basilica is the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco), which is the oldest surviving church in Buga. It was completed in 1746 as the Chapel of Jesus of Nazareth (Capilla de Jesús Nazareno) and administered by the Jesuits. The design is attributed to German Jesuit architect Simon Schenherr. After the Jesuits were expelled from Colombia in 1863, the church was abandoned for a few years until the Franciscans took over and gave it the current name. In 1870, the tower was added and the façade was redesigned. The Diocese of Buga has administered it since 1970. The church features a single nave with a choir and balcony.
Academic College
Attached to the rear of the church is the former Academic College (Colegio Académico), established by King Felipe V of Spain on November 30, 1743. It now houses the Buga branch of the University of Valle (Universidad del Valle).
Parque José María Cabal
A block north of the Church of San Francisco is Parque José María Cabal, the main plaza in Buga since 1576. It took its current name on July 20, 1908, and was redesigned as a French-style park, opening on August 6, 1924. The park was designed by Enrique Figueroa Fernández. It has some very tall trees and vendors selling juices and snacks. Apparently there are iguanas that hang out in the trees but we didn’t notice any.
Monument to José María Cabal
In the center of the park is a monument to Colombian independence hero José María Cabal (1769-1816). It consists of a bronze statue of the hero made by Italian sculptor Fernando Rubini. The statue stand on a marble pedestal. It was unveiled in 1926 and funded by public donations.
Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle
The Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle (Catedral de San Pedro Apóstol), also known as the Buga Cathedral (Catedral de Buga) stands on the south side of the square. The site was first occupied by a Jesuit church completed in 1616. It was originally built of mud with a straw roof but strengthened and expanded over the years. That church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1766 and the Jesuits were expelled the following year.
The lot sat empty until 1775, when work on the current church began with the financial backing of King Charles III of Spain. It opened on December 30, 1781, and was elevated to a cathedral with the creation of the Diocese of Buga on June 29, 1966. The beautiful 18th-century altarpiece, covered in gold and silver leaf, was made by Sebastián Usiña of Popayán.
Palace of Justice
The Palace of Justice (Palacio de Justicia) is on the north side of the square. It’s one of the oldest judicial buildings in Colombia. The building sits on the site of the Cabildo (town council) and jail built in 1573. It was replaced with a military barracks in the late 18th century. The barracks were converted into a courthouse in 1848 and redesigned in the Neoclassical style by German engineer Joseph Viner in 1909. The building was restored in 1990 by architect Diego Salcedo Salcedo. A modern expansion was built on an adjacent lot between 2017 and 2024.
Church of Santo Domingo
The Church of Santo Domingo (Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán) is a block east of the plaza on Calle 6. The original church was built by the Dominicans in 1573 and remodeled between 1592 and 1616. It collapsed during an earthquake in 1766 and rebuilt in 1797. Enrique Figueroa Fernández carried out restoration work in 1930.
Buga City Hall
Buga City Hall (Alcaldía de Guadalajara de Buga) sits next door to the church. It was built in 1930 on the former site of a 16th‑century Dominican convent demolished in 1919. The building was designed by Enrique Figueroa Fernández in the Republican style
Cultural Center
Continuing a couple blocks east on Calle 6 is the very interesting Cultural Center (Casa de la Cultura), which was founded on November 11, 1962, as a space for art expositions, performances, conferences, and study. It’s typically open daily and admission is free (as of July 2025).
The building was constructed in 1889 and was the home of Manuel Francisco Cabal Sinisterra and María Ignacia Cabal Concha. It hosts five thematic exhibition rooms and has a nice patio with a fountain in the middle.
We were given a tour of the exhibits currently on display, including Catholic vestments and models of the colorful windows and balconies of different towns in Colombia.
Ernesto Salcedo Ospina Municipal Theatre
On the next block is the Ernesto Salcedo Ospina Municipal Theatre (Teatro Municipal Ernesto Salcedo Ospina). It’s a gorgeous building constructed between 1916 and 1922 by architect Julio Sanclemente Soto. The theatre is named in honor of Ernesto Salcedo Ospina, a tenor from Buga who saw success on the international stage.
The building blends the Neoclassical and Republican styles. Enrique Figueroa Fernández, who remodeled it in 1929, added busts of Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt to the façade. Four pairs of Tuscan columns support a large balcony. The theatre has a capacity for about 1,000 spectators and is fully equipped for artistic, theatrical, and musical performances.
Parque de Bolívar
On the south side of town you’ll find Parque de Bolívar. It was laid out in 1924 by Enrique Figueroa Fernández and sits along the Guadalajara River. It’s full of tall leafy trees with paths and benches to sit and enjoy the surroundings. In the center is a statue of Simón Bolívar. It’s a replica of the statue by Italian sculptor Pietro Tenerani (1789-1869) at Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá.
El Faro
Finally, a couple blocks west of Parque de Bolívar is El Faro. It was built between 1954 and 1960 to honor Dr. Alejandro Cabal Pombo (1897-1950), a local lawyer and politician who championed the construction of a highway linking Buga to Buenaventura. It was inaugurated in 1969 as the Alejandro Cabal Pombo Monument (Monumento Alejandro Cabal Pombo) but fell into disrepair after it was used for storage.
The monument was restored in 2001 and the viewing platform was reopened to the public. Landscaping, lighting, and benches were added to the small park surrounding it.
There are 132 spiral steps to the viewing platform on top of the monument. It costs COP$3,000 to climb up (as of June 2025). Once at the top, you’ll enjoy spectacular views of Buga.
