Chimayo

About this city

Also known as: The Lourdes of America

Chimayó is a deeply spiritual, historic unincorporated community nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, straddling Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties in northern New Mexico. Founded by Spanish colonists in the late 17th century, the village is renowned for its rich cultural traditions, most notably the legendary hand-weaving heritage preserved by families like the Ortegas and Centeneras for generations. Its heart is the El Santuario de Chimayó, a revered Roman Catholic shrine celebrated for its 'miraculous' healing dirt, which draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually. Surrounded by rugged badlands, traditional adobe homes, and small farms growing the celebrated heirloom Chimayó chile, the village exudes an old-world charm that feels timeless.