Constructed from 1813 to 1816 as a private chapel, this small adobe church is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of Spanish Colonial architecture in New Mexico. Set in a large wall-enclosed garden, the church includes twin front towers, each with a belfry. The interior is a colorful mixture of Spanish and Indian styles with a heavy timber ceiling of vigas (beams) supported on carved brackets, simple plaster walls with large religious paintings and screens, a carved and painted altar rail and an elaborate reredos (altar screen) decorated with painted designs and religious symbols. The sands on which the church is built are thought to have miraculous healing powers, and today El Santuario de Chimayo is an active parish church.

El Santuario de Chimayo, a National Historic Landmark, is located in the town of Chimayo, New Mexico, on NM 76 (the High Road). Open daily from dawn to dusk. Please call 505-351-4889, or visit the church's website for further information.

Credits and Sources:

National Park Service. "Discover Our Shared Heritage American Southwest, A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary: List of Sites." http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/amsw/sitelist.htm.

Photo by and courtesy of Portia Hargrove