If you are in the city and have an interest in exploring its architectural and religious heritage, here I am going to tell you which are the most beautiful churches in Medellín and some curious facts about the history of each one.
Easter is the perfect season of the year to do a tour and get to know a lot of churches On the other hand, in our article on Easter you can discover more religious and cultural tourism activities that Medellín has for you.
Before getting into the matter, it is worth highlighting that all the churches on our list are Catholic temples. But here there is also the presence of various religions such as Protestantism, Christianity, Judaism and others that have their respective churches.
How many churches are ther in Medellín?
According to an article published by the Mayor’s Office in 2022, Medellín has 232 religious buildings, of which 20 in total have been declared Assets of Cultural Interest. 7 of them are already recognized at the national level and the others only at the municipal level.
Main cathedrals and churches in Medellín
Although the city has a great abundance of religious buildings, for now we will only name those that stand out as tourist attractions both for their history and for their architectural wealth.
For Easter, everyone will have a special program of events that you can review here.
Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Medellín
This is the main temple of the Archdiocese in Medellín and the seat of the archbishop. It was designed by architect Charles Émile Carré in neo-Romanesque style and its construction lasted from 1890 to 1931. It is the largest church in the world built in terracotta and because it is one of the most important architectural works in the country, it was declared a National Monument of Colombia in 1982.
It is located on the north side of Parque Bolívar, which is usually very lively on weekends. And nearby you will also have a charming commercial passage called Bulevar Junín, where you can find cafes, restaurants and shops.
Address: Cra. 48 # 56-64 (Downtown).
Iglesia de La Veracruz
This is one of the oldest churches in Medellín. In fact, its history can be divided into 2 periods because it was inaugurated for the first time in 1713, but then due to its deterioration they had to rebuild it between 1791 and 1803.
It is traditionally known as the church of Los Forasteros, because in the past it served as a cemetery for people who arrived from outside. And its history is full with curiosities, such as that one of its bells was used by the Wise Francisco José de Caldas to make a cannon intended for Independence.
To go, it is advisable to do so with tour guides since that kind of tours usually include visiting Plaza Botero, the Museum of Antioquia and part of the Carabobo passage.
Address: Cl. 51 # 52-58 (Downtown, near Parque Berrío).
Iglesia del Señor de las Misericordias
Its architecture stands out in the city landscape for its flowery neo-Gothic style, whose design was in charge of the Carmelite architect Andrés Lorenzo Duarte; the same one who designed the Frontino’s church. This building was declared cultural, artistic and religious heritage of Medellín in 1999.
Address: Cl. 67 # 47-6. To get there, the easiest way is to take Metroplús line 1 to the Palos Verdes station.
Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro
This church is relatively young since it was completed in 1952 and is one of the architectural works that stand out in the city for its inspiration in the French Gothic style. The idea of building this temple was to improve the automotive sector of Perpetual Help, which has now become a creative district where cafes, restaurants and different artistic and cultural endeavors are located.
It is important to keep in mind that the church is not usually open, so in addition to going to see its imposing front, you can take the opportunity to visit other attractions in the sector such as the All day café restaurant, La Bodega de Comfama, the Mattelsa building and La Coffee roasting factory.
Address: Cl. 35 # 48-8 (to go, the closest Metro station is Expósitos, which is two blocks away).
Iglesia de San Ignacio de Loyola
Before it was the church of San Francisco, which was built between 1803 and 1809. But in the 20th century, thanks to the urban renewal of the city, several renovations were carried out by the architects Felix Mejía and Agustín Goovaerts; the same one who designed the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture.
Finally, in 1929 it became the temple of San Ignacio de Loyola, one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the city due to its 2 towers and its dome. The temple is surrounded by other heritage works such as the Paraninfo, the Plazuela San Ignacio and the Comfama Cloister, where in addition to the Bohemian Clausura café you can find a rich entertainment and cultural program.
Address: Cra. 44 #48-28 (to go you can get to the San Antonio Metro station, transfer and take the Ayacucho tram to the San José station, which is one block from the church).
Nuestra Señora del Sagrado Corazón
También conocida como la iglesia de Buenos Aires por ser la más icónica de este sector de la ciudad, se trata de otra de las iglesias en Medellín que con su estilo neogótico quiso repuntar hacia el cielo. Fue diseñada por el arquitecto Francisco Nevechi y su construcción se llevó a cabo entre 1902 y 1931.
It is located in a very vibrant zone of the city, near other atractive places such as Casa de la Memoria Museum and Bulevar del Tranvía gastronomic passage.
Address: Cl. 49 #35 – 39 (to go you can get to the San Antonio Metro station, transfer and take the Ayacucho tram to the Bicentenario station, which is 2 blocks from the church).
Iglesia de San José
This church has a lot of history behind it since its construction took more than half a century and was only completed in 1902 with the renovation of its new front. Within its facilities there are treasures such as the atrium font and the painting of the “Baptism of Jesus”, made by the artist Francisco Antonio Cano, as well as the largest organ in Medellín, built by the Spanish Pablo Xucla.
Address: Cra. 46 #49-90 (to go you can get to the San Antonio Metro station, transfer and take the Ayacucho tram to the San José station, located right next to the church).
Iglesia del Poblado
It is dedicated to San José, however it is popularly known as the Poblado church and it is one of the religious buildings loaded with the most history in the city, because it was built in the same place where the foundation of the Poblado de Indios de San Lorenzo de Aburrá in 1616; a milestone prior to the founding of the Villa de La Candelaria, later known as Medellín.
This church is located within one of our most active areas in terms of tourism, so around it you can easily access a wide range of cuisine and entertainment. And not far from there you will surely also want to visit El Castillo Museum.
Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua
It is located next to San Antonio Park, where two of Fernando Botero’s most famous sculptures are located (“The Wounded Bird” and “The Bird of Peace”). As such, the temple is recognized for having the largest dome in Medellín and one of the largest in Latin America. But the site is not usually very frequented, which is curious knowing that San Antonio de Padua is precisely the saint of lost objects.
If you are going to visit it, I recommend doing it with a tourist agency or guide that offers a more complete Downtown tour, since near the church there are many other interesting places such as La Alpujarra, the old Antioquia Railway station, the Lights Park and the Carabobo commercial passage that leads to Plaza Botero.
Address: Cra. 48 # 44-55 (to go the closest Metro station is San Antonio).
Parroquia de Jesús de Nazareno
Although its history goes back a long way, the current temple began to be built in 1941 and was completed in 1953 by the Claretian Missionaries. Its architectural style is Gothic with a French accent but adapted to the circumstances of the time. And thanks to its magnificence, art and grandeur, it is considered one of the most beautiful in Medellín. It is located in the Prado neighborhood, which in itself is the only heritage neighborhood in the city thanks to its numerous mansions with eclectic architecture. So apart from going to see the parish, you can also explore such curious places as the Egyptian Palace, as well as very enjoyable theaters and cultural cafes. Address: Cra. 51D # 62-29 (to go the closest Metro station is Hospital).
Downtown churches in Medellín
As you may have noticed, many of the temples on our list are located in the La Candelaria sector. This is because the Center brings together a large part of the architectural and cultural heritage of Medellín.
There are even more buildings that are not necessarily tourist attractions, but that may interest you if you want to visit the temples in this area of the city for another reason. Here I share a more complete list with the 15 churches in the sector.
The Holy Spirit. Address: Calle 63 No. 49-32 (Prado Centro).
The Sacred Heart of Jesus. Address: Carrera 57 A No. 44A-15.
Jesus Nazarene. Address: Carrera 52 No. 61-30.
Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral. Address: Carrera 48 No. 56-81.
Veracruz. Address: Calle 52 No. 52-18.
The 12 Apostles. Address: Carrera 50 A No. 58-27 (Prado Centro).
Mary Queen of Angels. Address: Calle 60 No. 41 -63 (Los Angeles).
Our Lady of Candelaria. Address: Calle 49 A No. 50-85.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Address: Calle 35 No. 48-8.
Our Lady of Suffrage. Address: Calle 55 No. 39 -61 (Boston Sucre).
San Antonio. Address: Carrera 48 No. 44-55 A.
San Benito. Address: Calle 51 No.56 A 76.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Address: Carrera 44 No. 48-28.
Saint Joseph. Address: Carrera 46 No. 49-90.
Saint John Bosco. Address: Calle 49 No. 55-25.
Churches in El Poblado
When people look for churches in Medellín they also ask a lot about the Poblado sector, so to finish here I leave you another complete list with the temples in this area of the city.
San Lucas Parish. Address: Cra. 25 B # 20 south – 35.
Santa María de los Ángeles Parish. Address: Cra. 46 # 15 south -93.
Parish of Father Marianito. Address: Cl. 24B # 17 – 110.
Parish of San José de El Poblado. Address: Cra. 43A # 9-30.
Santa María de Los Dolores Parish. Address: Cra. 45 # 6-94.
Divine Eucharist Parish. Address: Cra. 36 # 7-33.
San Juan Apóstol Parish. Address: Cra 25 # 1A South 155.
La Visitation Parish. Address: Cl. 5 Sur #30-72 (Loma de Los González).
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