Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church - Las Cruces

The historical and spiritual essence of Bogotá can be found in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Las Cruces. Located in the historic center, this architectural gem is a monument that has defied the passage of time, with a history dating back to 1902, the year of its founding, and has witnessed countless pivotal moments in the life of the city.

At one time, the parish was named Our Lady of Perpetual Help, but over the years it changed to its current name, Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Las Cruces.

Initially erected in the mid-17th century and rebuilt in the late 19th century after the earthquakes that shook Bogotá in 1826 and 1827, the church was established in its current location facing the emblematic Las Cruces Park, built around the same time. Converting the old hermitage into a parish responded to the Archdiocese of Bogotá's need to reach out to working-class neighborhoods and provide spiritual support to the community of truck drivers and other workers in the area.

Despite having survived the so-called 'Bogotazo' after the assassination of Jorge Eliecer Gaitán, who was born nearby, the Church of Our Lady of Carmen Las Cruces remains standing, offering catechesis, counseling, sacraments and training to the approximately 10,000 inhabitants of the current community.