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El Santuario de Chimayo, Chimayo, NM
SightseeingHistory BuffLocal GemFree

El Santuario de Chimayo

15 Santuario Drive · Chimayo, NM

Why you should go…

El Santuario de Chimayo is an adobe Roman Catholic church built in 1816 and now a National Historic Landmark, with two bell towers and walls more than three feet thick. Inside is a six-foot crucifix of Christ of Esquipulas and, off to the side, el pocito, a small room with a pit of soil that pilgrims believe has healing properties. Many people walk here during Holy Week, some from as far as Albuquerque. The grounds also hold fourteen stone relief Stations of the Cross.

  • #historic church
  • #pilgrimage site
  • #adobe architecture
  • #holy dirt

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to El Santuario de Chimayo, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Kokopelli Rafting Adventures

    $50+

    A Rio Grande whitewater outfitter running guided rafting trips through northern New Mexico's canyons since 1983.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    New Wave Rafting

    $50+

    A longtime Rio Grande outfitter running guided whitewater rafting trips from mellow floats to Class IV-V whitewater near Taos.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Wild Earth Llama Adventures

    $50+

    Guided llama-trekking day hikes and multi-day wilderness trips in the mountains near Taos.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

    Free

    Walk the sidewalks of a steel bridge on US 64 and look down nearly 565 feet into the Rio Grande Gorge.

    35 mi awayMore like this

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Solitary Angler

    $50+

    Fly fishing guide service and fly shop in Taos offering trips on the Rio Grande Gorge and northern New Mexico's rivers and lakes.

    36 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Taos Pueblo

    $25–$50

    Walk among multi-story adobe homes on a guided tour of a pueblo that has been lived in for more than 1,000 years.

    38 mi awayMore like this