Monumento a La Virgen De La Paz

TrujilloVenezuela 39° N · 5° W Verified Aug 2026

A concrete giantess rises above Trujillo, with stairways inside her hollow body and mountain views through her eyes—arrive before 10:30 AM for clear views.

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Monumento a La Virgen De La Paz Photo: Rjcastillo · CC BY-SA 3.0
Access
Park terraces; interior climb has narrow stairs and no elevator

At 46.72 metres—roughly the height of a 15-storey building—the Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz rises above Trujillo, Venezuela, inviting visitors to climb inside a concrete Virgin for views that can reach from the Andes toward Lake Maracaibo. This is why you come: part pilgrimage, part engineering oddity, part mountain lookout, with cloud and cold air pressing against the narrow windows. When the upper platforms are open, the view from her eyes makes the whole statue feel less like an object than a vantage point.

At roughly 1,600–1,640 metres on the Peña de la Virgen, the statue stands as a hollow shell of reinforced concrete wrapped around a steel skeleton. Five internal viewpoints rise through its anatomy, from the knees at about 18 metres to the eyes at 44 metres; the stairways are narrow, the concrete cool, and the wind has a way of making every footstep sound ceremonial.

According to regional folklore, a radiant maiden once walked down the Carmona slope to buy candles, answering worried locals, “Sola no, sino con Dios, el sol y las estrellas.” When people followed her, the story says, she disappeared into the rock, giving the Peña de la Virgen its devotional power. Records cited by local histories place Nuestra Señora de la Paz as Trujillo’s patroness from 1568, with her feast celebrated each January 24.

The monument also carries a more modern story of civic ambition. A dream promoted by writer Mario Briceño Iragorry and chronicler Joaquín Delgado became a state-backed commission in the early 1980s, joining Catholic devotion to concrete, steel, and an unapologetically large view. Come for the panorama, stay for the odd sensation of standing inside a face that can be seen from miles away.

Researched by the Audiala editorial team from historical records, architectural archives, and local expertise.

What to see

  1. The colossal Virgin on Peña de la Virgen

    At 46.72 metres, Manuel de la Fuente’s concrete Virgin rises above the Andean ridge higher than the Statue of Liberty, her blue-white robe catching the hard mountain sun and the afternoon mist. Inaugurated on December 21, 1983, after only 18 months of construction, the hollow figure weighs about 1,200 tonnes; walk around the base to see how her uneven robe folds steady the extended arm that cradles the dove.

  2. Miradores inside the statue

    The monument becomes stranger and more thrilling once you enter: raw grey concrete, cold metal rails and footsteps echoing through the hollow body as stairs climb through five viewing levels. From the right-hand mirador, the white dove frames Teta de Niquitao at 4,006 metres; those with steady legs can continue up more than 200 steps to the eye-level opening, where the valleys appear through an unglazed oval in the Virgin’s concrete eyelid.

  3. Chapel, bell tower and the Peña caves

    Start beneath the monument in the chapel, where a stained-glass dove throws cobalt and amber patches across the altar around midday, then pause for the bell tower’s chimes, which carry over the pine-covered slopes every 30 minutes. A steep wooded path leads onward to Cueva El Zamurito and Cueva El Ronco, where candle wax, flowers and handwritten petitions gather on the rock shelves—a quieter encounter with the Carmona apparition tradition than the grand statue above.

Plan your visit

Getting There
From Trujillo, take the paved southwest mountain road toward Peña de la Virgen; the 11 km ascent usually takes 25–35 minutes by car or taxi, with parking at the monument complex. Shared jeeps and microbuses leave near Parque Los Ilustres and Avenida Numa Quevedo, or from the terminal via a local bus marked “Parque,” taking about 15–25 minutes. From the parking tiers, follow the paved uphill path for roughly 5 minutes; walking from central Trujillo is not practical because of the steep, winding road.
Opening Hours
As of 2026, the usual schedule is daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with last admission to the interior viewpoints at 4:30 PM. Municipal programming sometimes extends hours into the evening, while January 24 festivities, Holy Week events, and December 21 anniversary activities can alter access, so confirm locally before setting out.
Time Needed
Allow 1–1.5 hours for the gardens, chapel, exterior views, and lower or middle lookouts. A relaxed visit takes 2–3 hours if you climb through all five interior levels, ending at the eye openings roughly 44 meters up—about the height of a 14-story building—and browse the craft stalls.
Accessibility
The compound has paved paths, shaded seating, gardens, and an elevator intended for older visitors and people with reduced mobility. The highest viewpoints still involve narrow, steep interior stairways, so wheelchair users may be limited to the grounds and lower areas; tight passages, vertigo, wind, and fog can make the upper climb uncomfortable.
Cost & Tickets
As of 2026, a nominal on-site admission and maintenance fee is generally charged, commonly equivalent to about US$1–3, with the exact amount changing in Venezuelan bolívares. Buy tickets at the gate; payment may be accepted by cash or local debit-card POS, but weak mountain connectivity makes small-denomination VES or US-dollar cash sensible, and no online booking system is reported.

History

The Virgin from the Inside Out

Long before the 46.72-metre figure appeared, the Peña de la Virgen was a place of stories. According to regional tradition, the Carmona maiden’s disappearance into the rock transformed a high Andean crag into a Marian sanctuary; some local accounts also interpret the devotion as an overlay on older Cuica reverence for the mountain and the earth goddess Ikake.

Records cited by local and church histories identify Nuestra Señora de la Paz as Trujillo’s patroness from 1568. Four centuries later, the city’s civic imagination turned that enduring devotion into a concrete landmark, first proposed in public writing in 1958 and inaugurated on December 21, 1983.

The turning point

Manuel de la Fuente and the Risk of a Hollow Colossus

Manuel de la Fuente Andrés, the Spanish-Venezuelan sculptor and Universidad de Los Andes professor, was entrusted with giving Trujillo a figure large enough to command an entire mountain. Records identify Rosendo Camargo as the lead structural engineer, with Juan Francisco Hernández assisting; together, they had to make a 46.72-metre Virgin stand on an Andean summit while resisting wind, humidity, and seismic movement.

For de la Fuente personally, the commission carried an unusual artistic risk. Available accounts suggest that the project placed his reputation on the line: he had to preserve the calm proportions and flowing drapery of a devotional figure inside an inhabitable concrete structure weighing about 1,200 tonnes. A gallery sculpture can hide its mechanics. This one had to let visitors climb through them.

The turning point was de la Fuente’s decision to design the statue from the inside out. Five viewing chambers were folded into the knees, hands, waist, and head, turning structural necessities into part of the Virgin’s anatomy. The project moved from ambitious image to working monument, and regional records date its public dedication to December 21, 1983, under President Luis Herrera Campíns and Cardinal José Alí Lebrún Moratinos.

From a Glowing Rock to a Patroness

According to the Carmona legend, a young woman carrying candles told curious townspeople she was not alone, because she walked with God, the sun, and the stars. When she vanished into the rock, the place became known as the Peña de la Virgen. Local histories record Nuestra Señora de la Paz as Trujillo’s spiritual patroness from 1568, while some historians and folklorists debate how much the story preserves older Cuica mountain beliefs.

A Civic Dream in Concrete

After writer Mario Briceño Iragorry argued for a unifying monument in Canto a la Ciudad Pacífica, chronicler Joaquín Delgado promoted the idea in 1958, according to regional historical accounts. First Lady Betty Urdaneta de Herrera Campíns, a Trujillo native, and Governor Dora Maldonado de Falcón later helped move the proposal into construction under President Luis Herrera Campíns. Regional sources place the cost at 9 million bolívares and describe 400 white carrier pigeons released during the 1983 dedication.

Tips for visitors

  • Dress Respectfully

    The park is casual, but the chapel and prayer areas call for modest clothing rather than beachwear; keep voices low inside. Closed-toe shoes with firm grip matter on the steep interior stairs.

  • Fly Drones Carefully

    Handheld photography and video are generally welcome in the gardens and lookout openings, while tripods are practical only outside. Drone flights around the monument require compliance with Venezuelan INAC rules and local authorization, so don’t launch casually beside the statue.

  • Beat The Fog

    Arrive before 10:30 AM for the best chance of seeing Trujillo, the Sierra Nevada de Mérida, and the southern Lake Maracaibo basin. Afternoon mist can erase the view in minutes; bring a light jacket or windbreaker for the cool, exposed summit.

  • Set The Fare

    Agree on the return price before boarding a jeep rústico or taxi from Trujillo, since descent fares can rise after the visit. Keep payment flexible: mountain card terminals may lose data service, so carry small cash in VES or US dollars.

  • Eat The Andes

    At the Kioscos del Mirador de la Peña, try budget arepas de trigo, pastelitos andinos, hot chocolate, or fresas con crema. For a sit-down meal, Café & Restaurante El Mirador Carmona serves pizca andina and regional grills at mid-range prices; full-service choices are stronger back in downtown Trujillo.

  • Pair The Cathedral

    Visit Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Paz in central Trujillo as well as the mountain monument: the historic 17th-century Marian image belongs to the cathedral, not inside the 1983 concrete sculpture. Together, they show the difference between a centuries-old devotional object and a 46.72-meter public plea for peace.

  • Leave Luggage Behind

    The site has no official lockers or cloakroom, and bulky bags are awkward in the narrow stair galleries. Leave large luggage at your lodging or secured vehicle, carrying only what you need for the climb and the short walk from the parking area.

Frequently asked

Is Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz worth visiting?

Yes—especially if you enjoy unusual architecture, mountain views, and places where folklore and concrete engineering share the same address. The 46.72-meter statue is hollow, so you can climb from the knees to the hands, waist, and eyes; from the top, the view opens across Trujillo and, on clear mornings, toward Lake Maracaibo and the Sierra Nevada de Mérida.

How long do you need at Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz?

Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the base, chapel, gardens, and lower viewpoints, or 2 to 3 hours to climb all five miradores and visit the nearby caves. The upper ascent involves more than 200 narrow stairs, so the final climb takes longer than the statue’s serene expression suggests.

How do I get to Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz from Trujillo?

Take a shared jeep or local minibus from the Parque Los Ilustres and Avenida Numa Quevedo area, or drive roughly 11 kilometers southwest from central Trujillo. The paved mountain road usually takes about 15 to 25 minutes, but its steep switchbacks favor a confident driver, a taxi arranged in advance, or a higher-clearance vehicle.

What is the best time to visit Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz?

Visit between December and April, preferably before 10:30 AM, when the mountain air is more likely to leave the long views open. January 24 brings the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Paz and a stronger devotional atmosphere, though crowds and special schedules can change the pace of a visit.

Can you visit Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz for free?

No—the complex generally charges a small entrance or maintenance fee, especially for access to the interior viewpoints. Payment is usually made at the on-site booth in Venezuelan bolívares or by local card, but carry cash because mobile coverage and card terminals can be unreliable on the mountain.

What should I not miss at Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz?

Don’t miss Mirador 3, where the hand and dove frame the Andean ridges, followed by Mirador 5, where you look through the Virgin’s eyes from about 44 meters above the ground. Leave time for the chapel’s stained-glass dove, the echoing concrete stairwell, and the Peña de la Virgen caves if the path and weather are suitable.

Sources & attribution 35

Researched and written by the Audiala editorial team from historical records, architectural archives, and local expertise. Last reviewed August 2026.

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Photo credits (1)
  1. Monumento Virgen de La Paz II — Rjcastillo — CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) — Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monumento_Virgen_de_La_Paz_II.jpg

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