Santuario de Chimayo

Each year, tens of thousands of visitors come to this historic Santuario, or chapel, in the village of Chimayo 40 miles north of Santa Fe. The historic chapel is known as the “Lourdes of America,” since it is believed by many people to have healing powers. For generations, the surrounding grasslands and low rolling hills were used as portrero, or pasture, but more recently residential development has begun to replace former farms.

In 2002, TPL helped protect the Santuario’s serene backdrop by conserving and transferring to Santa Fe County 17 acres of pasture behind the chapel. Funding for the project came from the county’s $8 million bond measure of November 2000. Money from this measure is specifically earmarked to protect open space, along with historic and cultural sites. TPL continues to work to save additional land around the Santuario de Chimayo.