Monserrate and Divine Child of July 20: visit the most emblematic shrines of Bogotá
Tourism and devotion in two of the city's most recognized sacred sites. These are places you must know when you come to Bogotá. .
Bogotá is recognized for the beauty of its temples, which make it an important destination for religious tourism. And among them, perhaps the most emblematic are the sanctuaries of Monserrateon the eastern hills, Divine Child Jesus, in the 20th of July district, in the south of the city.
They are recognized as true architectural and spiritual treasures of the city and make up the nearly 900 Catholic churches that Bogotá has.
Among so many churches, those of Monserrate and the Divine Child do not go unnoticed, as they are in the eyes of the most faithful travelers in times like Holy Week. Thousands of pilgrims visit them and ask them for favors and miracles. And there are those who testify that they do.
Shrine of the Lord Fallen of Monserrate
Located at 3,152 meters high at the peak of one of the eastern hills in the centre of the city, and originally built between 1650 and 1657 as a tribute of the recollected monks of Saint Augustine to Our Lady of the Cross of Monserrate, it houses the sculpture of the Lord Caído. It is a figure of the 'Holy Christ fallen to the lashes and nailed to the cross', the work of the master Pedro de Lugo Albarracín and a replica of the Black Virgin, or Our Lady of Montserrat, equal to that of the Monastery of Montserrat of Barcelona in Spain.
The temple, with almost five centuries of existence, rebuilt twice by the earthquakes of 1743 and 1917, today has a neo-colonial-style façade, a central body and two sides, with two circular towers.
Millions of people have visited the most representative icon in Bogotá: an ideal place to find recollection, prayer and spiritual peace. From the fallen Lord it is said that there are many mysteries, among them a very particular one: that as the hair grows, some miracles are fulfilled.
According to figures from the Mayor of Bogotá, in the Holy Week of 2024 more than 180,000 people went up to the Shrine of Lord Caído de Monserrate.
Not everything is devotion in Monserrate
Monserrate also stands out because from there you can enjoy the best panoramic views of the city and a gastronomic variety: from the coal-roasted dungeons to high-kitchen restaurants such as San Isidro and Santa Clara; The latter received, in 2024, the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice 2024: a recognition that places it among 10% of the best restaurants worldwide, thanks to the preference and reviews of the diners. On your visit, don't forget to delight yourself with a typical Santaferean dish: the chocolate tamal.
You can also buy Colombian crafts and walk through the sanctuary. Nature lovers will be able to walk in different paths where the point of departure is the Cerro de Monserrate.
How to get there?
Located in the 2nd East # 21-48 race in the Bosque Izquierdo district, the Monserrate Sanctuary offers three forms of access. The first option is that of the most believers, who as penance ascend on foot on the pedestrian path of 2.5 km, which in their two viewpoints allows to enjoy privileged views. The second is in funicular or cable, the prices of which range from 19,000 to 32,000 Colombian pesos.
Information about mass hours, prices and way of access at www.monserrate.co / en /
Sanctuary of the Divine Child July 20
The worship of this temple has its origin in the 1930s, thanks to the Salesian priest Juan del Rizzo, who at the then lonely region of southern Bogotá carried an image of the Divine Child of Prague modified, without a cross, and with the face inspired by one of the children of the creator artisan. Since then, the sanctuary has grown in architectural configuration and in parishioners that, for thousands, with recollection and faith, go in thanksgiving and seek help to your needs.
Built in the neighborhood that bears its name in tribute to the date of the Independence of Colombia and opened in 1942, the Divine Child Sanctuary has become an epicenter of Catholic fervor. Year after year, the devotees began to attribute miracles to the image, installed on the altar of the church, reason why his veneration became of national interest. With the increase of the faithful who in Rome today come to venerate the prodigious image, every Sunday they celebrate up to 20 masses, with the assistance of some 70 thousand parishioners. According to data from the local mayor of San Cristóbal in Easter, in 2024, about 112 thousand people visited the place.
As for its design, the church was built by the architects Giovanni Buscaglione and Constantine de Castro. It has a square, a main altar and four chapels. The main altar has a figure of the Risen Christ in marble and the image of the Divine Child Jesus, guarded by a glass urn, it is sold in a prayer enclosure.
How to get there?
It is located on the south 27 street # 7-50, in the town of San Cristóbal. You can take a TransMilenio junction towards the 20 de Julio station, which is very close to the sanctuary. The neighborhood has 56 SITP paradoxers and a wide variety of routes on all schedules. It is recommended not to arrive in a particular vehicle, in order to avoid, especially on Sundays, the long rows of access to the parking spaces surrounding the place, where you can buy images and religious articles, and memories to carry with you the picture of the Divine Child Jesus of July 20.