Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

Salt deposits in Zipaquirá were formed around 250 million years ago, and were raised above sea level during the late Tertiary period, when the Andes were formed.Cardale de Schrimpff, Marianne, Breve informe sobre unas excavaciones arqueológicas realizadas en las salinas de Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, in: [http://www.banrep.gov.co/museo/esp/bol_anterior02.htm Boletín Museo del Oro] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015085856/http://www.banrep.gov.co/museo/esp/bol_anterior02.htm |date=2009-10-15 }}, [http://www.banrep.org/museo/esp/home.htm Banco de la República, Colombia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926181654/http://www.banrep.org/museo/esp/home.htm |date=2009-09-26 }}, No. 1, enero-abril de 1978, p. 39-41

The complex is located in Zipaquirá, in Cundinamarca Department, {{convert|49|km|mi}} north of Bogota, at {{convert|2652|m|ft}} altitude. National highway 45A connects Bogotá and Zipaquirá, as does the Tren Turistico De La Sabana (Savanna tourist train). The city is recognized, not only for the cathedral, but for being near one of the oldest human settlements in the Americas, El Abra archaeological site.Correal Urrego, Gonzalo; Van der Hammen, Thomas and Lerman, J.C., 1970: "Artefactos líticos de abrigos en El Abra, Colombia"; Revista Colombiana de Antropología 14: 9-46

The halite mines were exploited already by the pre-Columbian Muisca culture since the 5th century BC,[http://www.mirabilis.ca/archives/001136.html Zipaquira Salt Cathedral] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928095044/http://www.mirabilis.ca/archives/001136.html |date=2007-09-28 }} with it being one of their most important economic activities.Langebaek, Carl H., 1987: Mercados, poblamiento e integración étnica entre los muiscas —siglo XVI. Banco de la República, Bogotá

The traditional halite mining was described by Alexander von Humboldt during his visit to Zipaquira in 1801.Von Humboldt, Alexander, 2003: "Memoria razonada de las salinas de Zipaquirá", Ed. Epígrafe, con el respaldo de Colciencias, referenciado por [http://www.epigrafe.com/convenios/fundacion.asp Fundación Editorial Epígrafe] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216085237/http://www.epigrafe.com/convenios/fundacion.asp |date=2008-12-16 }}, Colombia He depicts this deposit as bigger than the main halite mines of the time, such as those in Spain, Switzerland, Poland and the County of Tyrol with a calculated resource estimation of one million cubic meters. Von Humboldt also criticized the excavation techniques as being unpractical for future exploitation, recommending drift mining instead, since the halite tunnels don't require beams, lowering the costs.

File:Altar catedral de sal.JPG of the old cathedral, with cross]]

Years before the underground church was built (around 1932), the miners had carved a sanctuary, as a place for their daily prayers asking for protection to the saints before starting to work. In 1950, the construction of a bigger project had begun: the Salt Cathedral which was inaugurated on August 15, 1954, and dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, Patron saint of miners. It was compound of three naves and a monumental cross. Part of the galleries were actually carved by the ancient Muisca. However, as the church was carved inside an active mine, structural problems and safety concerns led the authorities to shut it in September 1992. This construction cost of the original church was over 285 million U.S. dollars.Información suministrada por la [http://www.catedraldesal.gov.co/ Catedal de Sal], Coordinación Comercial, Zipaquirá, Colombia

The building had 120 m  length, 5.500 m² surface and 22 m  height. It had six main columns, and a maximum capacity of 8000 people.

The main nave included the monumental cross, which was illuminated from the base up, projecting a large cross-shaped shadow in the ceiling. The right nave included the Stations of the Cross icons and the Rosary chapel, with the Virgin of Rosary Icon (sculpted by Daniel Rodriguez Moreno and later transported to the new cathedral). The left nave included the icons of the birth of Jesus and the baptism of Jesus, with a waterfall symbolising the Jordan River.

File:Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá main altar.jpg sculpture.]]

The Industrial Investment Institute, together with Salinas Concession and the Colombian Society of Architects opened a contest for the design of the new cathedral, the winner of which was the project presented by Roswell Garavito Pearl[http://wsextedraldesal.gov.co/parque_01.html Historia del Parque de la Sal, En: Catedral de Sal, Zipaquirá, Colombia]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} which included structural changes in the access tunnel and the dome.

In 1991 the construction of a new cathedral was undertaken, 200.0 feet under the older one. This new Cathedral was inaugurated on December 16, 1995. Its various corridors and sanctuaries were achieved by making small but significant additions to the caves left behind by previous mining operations.

The main sections of the building are:

• The Stations of the Cross: At the entrance of the church, there are 14 small chapels, representing the Stations of the Cross, which illustrate the events of Jesus' last journey. Each station has a cross and several kneeling platforms carved into the halite structure.
• The Dome: Located at the end of the main descending entrance ramp. From here, the visitor descends to the bas relief cross chambers, the balcony and the Narthex labyrinth.
• The three naves: They are interconnected by a crack, symbolising the birth and death of Christ. Copies of Creation of Adam and Pietá can be seen.

Four large cylindric columns represent the Four Evangelists

The cathedral has an electrical generator and access for vehicles to the inner space (for emergencies only).

File:The Holy Family-Zipaquira.JPG

The cathedral is within a larger complex, Parque de la Sal (Salt Park),[http://www.catedraldesal.gov.co/ Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá] which also includes a museum of mining, mineralogy, geology and natural resources. The Salt Park covers an area of {{convert|32|ha|acre}}. Visitors can observe pieces of art, depictions of the mining process, geology displays, educational exhibitions about environmental friendly mining and sustainable development

The main places at the park are:

• The Sacred Axis, a square with a halite hand carved cross ({{convert|4.2|m|ft}} height)
• The Salt Dome
• The mine
• The Brine Museum, where visitors learn about the extraction process of salt from the halite. Also, exhibitions of the geological studies, engineering and architecture process in the creation of the cathedral can be seen.
• The Reservoir
• The Forests
• The Salt auditorium.

File:Water-Mirror-Zipaquira.JPG

• Nemocón, neighbouring salt mine to the northeast
• Bochnia Salt Mine, southern Poland, central Europe
• Wieliczka Salt Mine, near Kraków in Poland, central Europe
• Khewra Salt Mine, in Punjab, Pakistan
• Kartchner Caverns State Park in Arizona, United States
• Grand Roc in Savoie, France, southern Europe
• Chełm Chalk Tunnels, Poland, central Europe
• Frasassi Caves, Ancona in Italy, southern Europe
• Salina Turda, Transylvania, Romania
• List of colossal sculptures in situ

{{Reflist|colwidth=33em}}

{{Commons category|Catedral de Sal}}

• {{in lang|es}} [http://www.catedraldesal.gov.co/ Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá], Official site of the Salt Cathedral
• {{in lang|es}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r49yKWO_JA8 "Catedral de Sal": An art film by H. Paul Moon]
• {{in lang|es}} [http://www.eltiempo.com/nacion/7maravillas/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3460065.html El Tiempo: Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá: el milagro de los mineros en las entrañas de la tierra]

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{{Treasures of Colombia}}

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Category:Roman Catholic churches in Colombia

Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1954

Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1995

Category:Tourist attractions near Bogotá

Category:Buildings and structures in Cundinamarca Department

Category:Tourist attractions in Cundinamarca Department

Category:Salt museums

Category:Salt mines in Colombia

Category:Cave churches

Category:Buildings and structures in Zipaquirá

Category:20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Colombia