Coromoto Shrine

The basilica of Nuestra Señora de Coromoto stands on the open llanos outside Guanare, on the spot where an apparition of the Virgin is said to have appeared to a Cospes chief in 1652. The Virgin of Coromoto was declared patroness of Venezuela in 1942, and the present basilica, a large sculptural concrete building with tall stained glass, was consecrated in 1996 and visited by the Pope that year. The tiny original relic image is kept inside.

What you actually see

• The concrete basilica - a large modern church consecrated in 1996.
• The stained glass - tall coloured windows filling the concrete shell.
• The relic image - the small original image kept at the shrine.
• The llanos setting - a large church standing alone on the open plain.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the easiest for the roads. The feast of Coromoto falls on 11 September and draws the largest crowds. Mornings are coolest.

Honest expectations

The building is modern and of no historic interest; the significance is devotional. It stands isolated on the plain with little else nearby. Heat inside the concrete shell is considerable.

Nearby

Guanare is nearby, and Los Llanos spread around it.