Las Lajas Sanctuary

About

According to legend, Las Lajas Sanctuary stands on the site, where, in 1754, a woman and her deaf-mute daughter sought refuge in a strong storm. During a flash of lightning, the daughter exclaimed "the Mestiza is calling me" and pointed to the lightning-illuminated silhouette of the Virgin Mary. The current church was built between 1916 and 1949 in a dramatically-pointed Gothic Revival style. The architecture is further enhanced by the church’s location: it sits atop a support 50 meters above the canyon floor, with a bridge doubling as the church square. The church interior is an elegant white with gold trim, and illuminated by several vibrantly colored stained-glass windows.