Iglesia de la Merced

Top choice in Cali


Founded in 1545, this is Cali's oldest church. It's a lovely whitewashed building in the Spanish-colonial style, with a long, narrow nave, and humble wood and stucco construction. Inside, a heavily gilded baroque high altar is topped by the Virgen de las Mercedes, the patron saint of the city.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cali attractions

1. Museo de Arte Religoso La Merced

0.01 MILES

Housed in La Merced convent, Cali's oldest building, this museum has an extensive collection of colonial religious paintings and relics. It's worth a…

2. Museo Arqueológico la Merced

0.03 MILES

Housed in an 18th-century annex to La Merced, this interesting museum contains a collection of pre-Columbian pottery left behind by the major cultures…

3. Museo del Oro Calima

0.06 MILES

One block east from Iglesia de la Merced, this excellent museum displays more than 600 pieces of intricate gold jewelry, as well as ceramics used in…

4. Torre Mudéjar

0.17 MILES

This unusual brick bell tower is one of the best examples of Mudejar architecture in Colombia.

5. Iglesia de San Francisco

0.18 MILES

This neoclassical church dating from the 18th century is most renowned for the adjacent Torre Mudéjar, an unusual brick bell tower that is one of the best…

6. Iglesia de la Ermita

0.37 MILES

Overlooking the Río Cali, this striking neo-Gothic church houses the 18th-century painting of El señor de la caña (Lord of the Sugarcane) that survived…

7. Iglesia de San Antonio

0.45 MILES

Constructed in 1747, this small church is set atop a hill, the Colina de San Antonio, west of the old center. It shelters valuable tallas quiteñas, 17th…

8. Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia

0.59 MILES

Presents changing exhibitions of contemporary painting, sculpture and photography from both local and South American artists. Look out for works by…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "colombia/southwest-colombia/cali/attractions/iglesia-de-la-merced/a/poi-sig/465630/363331",
      "destination": "Cali",
      "continent": "South-America",
      "country": "Colombia",
      "city": "Cali",
      "position": "superzone"
    }