Last updated on .
The historic La Candelaria Monastery (Monasterio de La Candelaria) is situated a short drive from Ráquira in the department of Boyacá, Colombia.
Introduction to La Candelaria Monastery
La Candelaria Monastery was founded on August 12, 1604, by Augustinian monks from Spain led by Friar Mateo Delgado. In fact, it was the first Augustinian monastery in the Americas. At first, the monks lived in a series of caves surrounding the property. Construction of the complex started in 1604 and was completed by 1611.
Today, the La Candelaria Monastery is an important place for religious and spiritual retreats. It also provides lodging for tourists and the adjacent Posada San Agustín.
Getting to the Monastery
The monastery is in the small village of La Candelaria. Having your own transportation is the best way to get there, but you can also hire a taxi in Villa de Leyva to take you to Ráquira and the monastery. There’s a minibus from Ráquira as well.
If taking public transportation, walk across a small bridge near the center of the village and you’ll reach the gates to the monastery complex.
Visiting La Candelaria Monastery
Guided tours of the monastery and museum are available in Spanish on a daily basis. They cost COP$15,000 per person (as of January 2023) and last about 30 minutes.
Tours begin in one of the two stunning courtyards, where the guide introduces a few of the paintings in the cloister. All of the paintings were completed in the 17th century and depict the life of St. Augustine.
Off the courtyard, is an example of a former monk’s cell. It displays how the monks would have lived in the 17th and 18th centuries. The self-flagellation devices are original to the period.
Next is a room containing antique texts and hymn books along with some anonymous paintings. The paintings date to the 17th and 18th centuries and depict several saints and religious scenes.
The following room is filled with antique items that the monastery has acquired over the years. It connects to a hallway displaying money from all over the world.
Continuing along is another room filled with old equipment and gadgets such as projectors, typewriters, cameras, and computers. It leads to a room displaying religious statues, vestments, and crucifixes.
The tour of the monastery ends in the second courtyard, where the current residents of the monastery live. It’s just as beautiful as the first courtyard.
Church of Our Lady of La Candelaria
After the monastery, the tour continues to the Church of Our Lady of La Candelaria (Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria). It’s entered through the sacristy, which is where priests would get dressed before ceremonies.
Once inside church, you’ll see the impressive gilded altarpiece. There are also a few interesting statues of saints placed in niches along the sides of the nave.
Cave
An optional part of the tour leads down a path past the Posada San Agustín. It ends at the cave that housed the first two monks who arrived from Spain. They wanted to live a rigid life of penitence and prayer.
Village of La Candelaria
The sleepy village of La Candelaria has a population of about 300 people. The local economy is dependent on tourism generated by the monastery and the sale of local handicrafts. There’s not much to see there.
