Interior of a church with a central aisle and wooden pews, decorated columns, and an altar at the back framed by arches and religious paintings. Sculpture of the Virgin Mary dressed in black with gold details, located between columns and a backdrop of red curtains, accompanied by flowers and candles. Facade of a colonial-style church in white and yellow tones, with a central tower and steps, seen from below against a partly cloudy sky.
  • Description
  • How to get there

The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in the municipality of Tibirita is a valuable cultural, historical, and religious heritage site in Cundinamarca and Colombia. Built on May 2, 1778, during the 18th century, it is notable for its colonial architecture and for housing important works of religious art spanning from the 18th to the 21st centuries.

This church holds profound value for the local and national community, as it is a center of pilgrimage and devotion. Its patron saint festival draws thousands of faithful, especially during the Festival of the Promisers, where ancestral traditions are revived through songs, dances, folk verses, pilgrimages, and culinary offerings in thanksgiving to the patron saint. Despite having withstood earthquakes and other natural disasters, the church has been carefully restored to preserve its original character. In the 21st century, Carlos Hernando Reyes, a native of Tibirita, enriched the church with the creation of archangels, angels, biblical figures, and paintings, keeping the municipality's artistic and spiritual heritage alive. 

Due to its importance, the church was declared a Cultural Heritage Site of the Department by Departmental Ordinance No. 043 of 2017, solidifying its status as a symbol of faith, identity, and collective memory for Tibirita, the province of Almeida, and the nation.

📍 How to get there

From Bogotá to Tibirita, take the Autopista Norte (North Highway) towards Tunja. You will pass through the Andes toll plaza and continue to the Machetá or El Sisga area, then take the turnoff east onto the road that leads to Guateque. After crossing mountainous landscapes and the Machetá toll plaza, the bus arrives in the town of Tibirita.