Seven Wonders of Colombia facts for kids

The Seven Wonders of Colombia (which means Siete maravillas de Colombia in Spanish) was a fun competition held in 2007. A newspaper called El Tiempo asked its readers to choose their favorite man-made places in Colombia. They wanted to find buildings, structures, or historical sites that were super special because of their amazing design, how they were built, or their important history. People voted for the places they thought deserved to be called "wonders."

The Seven Wonders of Colombia

Here are the seven places that people voted for as the most amazing wonders in Colombia:

Picture	Wonder	Where it is	Votes
	Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá	Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca	6,654
	Las Lajas Sanctuary Santuario de Las Lajas	Ipiales, Nariño	5,057
	San Agustín Archaeological Park Parque Arqueológico San Agustín	San Agustín, Huila	4,680
	San Felipe de Barajas Castle Castillo San Felipe de Barajas	Cartagena, Bolívar	4,389
	Ciudad Perdida	Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Magdalena	4,373
	Tierradentro	Inza, Cauca	2,787
	Teatro de Cristóbal Colón	Bogotá	2,785

Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

This amazing church is built inside an old salt mine! It's near the town of Zipaquirá. People carved the church out of the salt rock, making it a truly unique place to visit. It's like stepping into a giant, sparkling cave.

Las Lajas Sanctuary

This beautiful church looks like something out of a fairy tale. It's built on a bridge over a river canyon in Ipiales. The church is famous for a mysterious image of the Virgin Mary that appeared on a rock wall. It's a stunning example of architecture.

San Agustín Archaeological Park

This park in San Agustín is full of ancient stone statues carved by a mysterious civilization long ago. These sculptures show human figures, animals, and gods. It's a great place to learn about Colombia's ancient history.

San Felipe de Barajas Castle

Located in Cartagena, this huge castle was built to protect the city from pirates and invaders. It has many tunnels and strong walls. Exploring it feels like going back in time to an age of battles and adventure.

Ciudad Perdida

Also known as the "Lost City," Ciudad Perdida is an ancient city hidden deep in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. It was built by the Tairona people around 800 AD. To get there, you have to hike through the jungle, which makes it a real adventure!

Tierradentro

Tierradentro is another amazing archaeological site. It's famous for its underground tombs and statues carved into volcanic rock. These tombs are like small houses, showing how ancient people buried their dead. It's in the mountains of Cauca.

Teatro de Cristóbal Colón

This grand theater is in the heart of Bogotá, Colombia's capital city. It's a beautiful building with stunning architecture and decorations. Many famous plays, operas, and concerts have been held here. It's a place where art and culture come alive.

Other Amazing Places

Many other wonderful places were also finalists in the competition. These include historic buildings, squares, and engineering marvels from all over Colombia. Some of them are:

• Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino
• Villa de Leyva's Main Square
• Puente de Occidente in Santa Fe de Antioquia
• National Museum of Colombia's Building
• Bolívar Square in Bogotá

See also

In Spanish: Siete maravillas de Colombia para niños