A Day in Zipaquira

The entrance to the park with the salt deposit mountain behind. 

Our second stop was an hour north of Bogota day trip to the national wonder Zipaquira. The small town, that has grown exponentially in the past 10 years, is similar in style to many small colonial town that make up the countryside. However, the reason national and international tourists flock to this site is to visit the magnificent salt mines, the second largest salt deposit of the country. This mine is unique. Inside its depths lies a hand carved cathedral.

The cathedral of Zipaquira began originally as a way for Colombian mine workers to attend weekly mass without leaving the mines. The patron saint of the mines, La Virgen de Guasca, is named after the indigenous word for tunnel or mind. This mine was in operation long before the conquistadors reached South America. In fact, the first group to take advantage of the large salt deposit was the Muisca. Using clay pots, they collected water from the mountain, then heated them to evaporate the water which would leave the remaining salt in a dry block at the bottom of the pot. Salt, valued higher than gold, was used as currency by the Muisca and other tribes.

The Miner's chapel before the grand salt cathedral. 

When the Spanish arrived in the New World, they soon discovered the treasure of Zipaquira. They also wanted the valuable resource the mine provided but would extract it in far more violent way. Indigenous populations were enslaved and forced to mine the mountain for the Spanish crown. As history progressed, mining of the mountain continued but was done by voluntary and fairly employed workers rather than slaves. In the twentieth century, mining became technologically driven and utilized dynamite and then hydraulic methods.

The mine's church had humble beginnings. Originally, a way for devout Catholic miners to attend mass while working underground in order to ask for protection, the mine grew into an elaborate tribute to the Catholic faith. The original salt cathedral was opened to the public in 1954. It consisted of three naves and a cross, all mined out of salt. Due to structural concerns, this mine was closed to the public in 1990. However, construction on another salt cathedral would soon begin. In 1995, the new cathedral opened which is the one standing today.

On the path of the Stations of the Cross that
intersects with the active mine.

When you enter the mine you begin your decent by walking down the stations of the cross. A vital aspect of the Catholic religion, each station consists of a symbolic representation of the event described by each station. They invite visitors to meditate on the stations and understand how, for miners going to work, these stations provide comfort and hope that no danger will come to them underground. After you make your way through the stations, past the basilica inspired dome and through the choir pews, you will find your self in the miner's chapel. A modest chapel designed by the miners themselves, it is decorated with images of their patron virgin, Guasca. Her hands and face are covered in soot as a reminder of who she is there to protect. Finally, you enter the heart of the salt mine, the cathedral. The 16 meter tall cross is carved into the salt making it the tallest cross underground in the world. At this point, visitors will find themselves 180 meters underground.

The history of this mine reflects the history of the country. Despite the horrific actions taken by some trying to take advantage of what the mine had to offer, the mine now provides the country with a valuable resource financially but also a source of religious inspiration. Today tourists from around the world and the country flock to see the first wonder of Colombia. I cannot recommend visiting Zipaquira enough. Despite having visited it almost every trip I've taken to Colombia since I was a child, it still stuns me in its beauty and grandeur. Make the trip, you won't regret it!