Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHURCHES OF NICARAGUA
Nicaragua hasn't always been this poor - in the 1960s Costa Ricans were sneaking across the
border to work here. From the first days of the Spanish conquest through to the late 1800s, when
Nicaragua controlled the only warm-water route between the world's two great oceans, this little
country was a major power broker.
With cash to spare and a Catholic population to impress, the authorities constructed churches
even devout atheists will enjoy. León may be the nation's pinnacle of religious architecture, but
here are a few other must-sees.
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Cathedrals of Managua
(
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) The poignant, burnt-out husk of Managua's original
cathedral is off-limits, but you're welcome to ponder the new cathedral's ultramodern domes:
cooling towers for a divine nuclear reactor? Homage to Islam? Eggs hatching into a peaceful to-
morrow?
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Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción de la Virgen María
(
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)
Even Pope John Paul II visited the beautiful Virgen del Trono, patron saint of Nicaragua and mis-
tress of La Gritería, the nation's most important religious event.
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Templo de El Sauce
(
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) Quite literally a pilgrimage-worthy destination; every Janu-
ary thousands come to see El Señor de Esquipulas, the Black Christ.
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Moravian Church in Bluefields
(
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) Faithfully rebuilt to its Victorian-era specs after
Bluefields' utter destruction during Hurricane Juana; it's not just lovely, it's a symbol of hope and
perseverance.
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Iglesia Catedral San Pedro
(
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) This baroque 1874 beauty, known for its twin bell
towers, remains one of the country's most elegant churches despite a desperate need for renova-
tion.
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Templo Parroquial de San Rafael Arcángel
(
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) This is religion as sensory overload,
with beautiful architecture and truly amazing murals.
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Nuestra Señora de Solentiname
(
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) Ernesto Cardenal and the Solentiname commu-
nity built this heartfelt and humble adobe church, its murals designed by children.
