Activities · Medellín

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

It's the church facing Parque Berrío, next to the metro station of the same name. It was built between 1768 and 1776, served as the cathedral from 1868 to 1931, and entry is free.

Price: Free entry.
Price: Free
Duration: 0 to 2 hours
Address: East side of Parque Berrío, Centro (La Candelaria), Medellín

See on the map Google Maps

La Candelaria stands on the east side of Parque Berrío, next to the metro station named after the park. The church you see today went up between 1768 and 1776, replacing an earlier one, and the two towers on the facade were finished in 1888. It was Medellín's first cathedral, from 1868 to 1931, and it has been a national monument since 1998.

Inside there are three naves, a gilded main altar with the painting of the Purification of the Virgin, and an English pipe organ that arrived in 1850. It's a working church, with masses during the day.

Parque Berrío was the town's main square and held a market until 1892. In 1895 it took the name of Pedro Justo Berrío, whose statue stands in the middle. Today it's surrounded by banks and shops, with Fernando Botero's La Gorda on one corner and Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt's El Desafío on another. Plaza Botero is about a 5-minute walk away.

What to see

The white facade with its two towers.
The main altar and the 1850 organ.
The statue of Pedro Justo Berrío and Botero's La Gorda in the park.
El Desafío by Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt.

Getting there

Metro: Parque Berrío station (Line A). You can see the church facade from the platform.
Taxi: ask for Parque Berrío.

Tips

Go during the day; the park gets crowded, so keep your phone put away.
If there's a mass going on, go in quietly and save the photos for later.
Combine it with Plaza Botero, the Veracruz church and lunch on Junín; it's all a few blocks apart.
Real City Tours' free walking tour stops at Parque Berrío.