Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Bell Mountain
The Augustus Temple.
Temple of Augustus
Gunung Kemekus Entrance
Gunung Kemukus
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
The pastries at Lagniappe Bakehouse are worth waking up for.
Lagniappe Bakehouse
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Ōmori Nori Vending Machine
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
3 days ago
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
4 days ago
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
7 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
8 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Ecuador Colta Iglesia de Balbanera

Iglesia de Balbanera

Ecuador's first Catholic church was built by Spanish conquistadors in 1534.

Colta, Ecuador

Added By
Daniel Hall
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Church of María Natividad de Balbanera, Cajabamba, Ecuador.   Bernard Gagnon/cc by-sa 3.0
Church of María Natividad de Balbanera, Cajabamba, Ecuador.   Bernard Gagnon/cc by-sa 3.0
The altar, and the virgin of Balbanera.   dhall111 / Atlas Obscura User
The inside of the church.   dhall111 / Atlas Obscura User
  dshillis / Atlas Obscura User
Traditional carvings in the façade.   dhall111 / Atlas Obscura User
The front of La Iglesia de Balbanera.   dhall111 / Atlas Obscura User
Dolls in the museum.   dhall111 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When traveling south along the Pan-American highway from Riobamba, you may notice a church at the side of the road that doesn’t really look like anything special. However, you’d be mistaken!

Constructed in 1534, La Iglesia de Balbanera is one of the earliest examples of colonial architecture in South America and the first Catholic church in Ecuador. Though it has survived centuries of earthquakes, the church still stands and is still in use today.

The building is a beautiful blend of European and indigenous techniques. It’s built in the Baroque style and was cobbled together with local rocks, volcanic rubble, and adobe. Although it appears to have a traditional colonial design from the outside, you can see some traditional Inca-style carvings in the stone of the main façade.

Unlike European Catholic churches, the interior is plain and the only adornment is an altar to the Virgin of Balbanera, from the La Rioja region of Spain. Every October and November, hundreds of locals turn out to see the Virgin paraded around the town of Colta. At the back of the church, there’s a tiny room which is billed as a museum where you can see some dolls and children’s costumes. 

Related Tags

Churches Roadside Attractions Christianity Colonialism Catholic Dolls Museums Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

The church is open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday Mass is at 9:30 a.m., 12 p.m., and 4 p.m. Please be respectful of the fact this is a place of active worship.

Afterward, check out the cool and traditional Ecuadorian market outside, where you’ll find vegetable ivory statues, hand painted gifts, and alpaca wool goods. If you’re feeling really brave, head to one of the several roadside restaurants over by the church to try the national delicacy cuy (yes, that’s guinea pig), before walking it off around the Laguna de Colta, a huge lake.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild Galapagos: An Ecological Wonderland

Darwin's legacy, snorkeling, volcanic landscapes & conservation insights.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

dhall111

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe, dshillis

  • Kerry Wolfe
  • dshillis

Published

October 16, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://ec.viajandox.com/colta/iglesia-de-balbanera-A895
  • https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/ecuador/articles/the-story-behind-the-oldest-church-in-ecuador/
  • https://www.metropolitan-touring.com/balbanera-church-ecuadors-first-catholic-building/
Iglesia de Balbanera
Pan American Highway
Colta
Ecuador
-1.723485, -78.762586
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Momia de Guano

Guano, Ecuador

miles away

Chimborazo

Ambato Canton, Ecuador

miles away

Swing at the End of the World

Banos, Ecuador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ecuador

Ecuador

South America

Places 36
Stories 26

Nearby Places

Momia de Guano

Guano, Ecuador

miles away

Chimborazo

Ambato Canton, Ecuador

miles away

Swing at the End of the World

Banos, Ecuador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ecuador

Ecuador

South America

Places 36
Stories 26

Related Places

  • Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon.

    Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

    Witnesses claim the Virgin Mary statue outside the church once mysteriously shed a single tear.

  • Reyes Etla, Mexico

    Santuario del Señor de las Peñas

    This small church is surrounded by a landscape filled with hidden Zapotec ruins.

  • The original Dominican facade was rebuilt.

    Tlaxiaco, Mexico

    Temple of San Nicolás Tolentino

    After a partial collapse in the 1950s, this small church's historic facade lives on.

  • St. Sophia, side view.

    Polotsk, Belarus

    St. Sophia's Cathedral

    Though it was heavily modified, fragments of the original medieval cathedral still survive.

  • The murals on the open chapel.

    Actopan, Mexico

    Open Chapel Murals of Actopan

    These nearly 500-year-old scenes are largely faded by the ravages of time, yet still maintain their power to horrify.

  • The original wooden and coated wax statue of the Infant Jesus in Prague.

    Prague, Czechia

    Museum of the Infant Jesus

    This Czech church doubles as something of a permanent fashion exhibition for a statue of the Infant Jesus.

  • Iglesia de Guayacan.

    Coquimbo, Chile

    Church of Guayacán

    A charmingly unusual prefabricated metal church designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.

  • Murals along the walkway.

    Malinalco, Mexico

    Murals of the Parish of the Divine Savior

    These colonial murals are a fascinating hybrid of Spanish and Indigenous aesthetics.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.