Iglesia de Santo Tomás

The large white church stands at the center of Chichicastenango with its wide staircase and colonial architecture reaching toward the sky point.

The church structure, completed in 1545, replaced a pre-Hispanic Maya temple and maintains the original stone platform with eighteen steps representing Maya calendar months.

Local K'iche' Maya priests perform traditional ceremonies on the church steps, burning incense and candles while incorporating Catholic and indigenous spiritual practices.

Visitors can access the church daily, with increased activity during the Thursday and Sunday markets when vendors and worshippers gather in the surrounding plaza.

The church steps transform into a flower market where locals sell colorful petals used for decorating the sacred ground during religious ceremonies.

Location: Chichicastenango

GPS coordinates: 14.94208,-91.11123

Latest update: March 4, 2025 00:10