Church of St. Juan Bautista
Church of St. Juan Bautista
Church of St. Juan Bautista
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Plan your visit
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
2 within 5 kms
Attractions
53 within 10 kms
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
362 reviews
Excellent
208
Very good
83
Average
42
Poor
8
Terrible
21
nancy e
Round Rock, TX147 contributions
Nov. 2022 • Couples
I had read about Chamula so we took a taxi there. We did pay to go in and paid a Chamula guide at entrance to church which was totally worth the 150 pesos . He gave us very good explanations of the rituals and answered all our questions. It is understandable not to allow photos as this is sacred to Chamula people. It was an experience i am glad i had. The town is not much to look at so after quickly seeing cemetery we took colectivo in plaza back to San Cris, however i would recommended taking a taxi there and having him wait for you and take you back.
Written November 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen B
Derry, UK44 contributions
Nov. 2022
Not especially impressive from exterior and protected by some menacing looking characters ensuring payment to visit or take a photo! Extrordinary inside with leaves covering floor and multiple family groups praying,drinking posh ( strong alcohol) and sacrificing unfortunate chickens by strangulation. Thankfully didnt actually observe this particular aspect. Taking of photos not welcome in the entire village ( it steals their souls )
Written November 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M.C.Leach
Manchester, UK2 contributions
Aug. 2022 • Couples
We travelled by horse to chamula to see this special place. The journey was difficult because the tour company didn’t really measure us properly for the horses and the saddle was uncomfortable. However, this unusual church is definitely worth the journey. 50 pesos paid to the church for entry. Here you find a melding of indigenous practices with traditional catholic. The floor is pine needles and the building is filled to bursting with candles. This is a special place for locals so it’s important to be respectful, it’s not just a tourist site. It’s an active place of prayer. Would 100% recommend it.
Written August 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Duygu E
3 contributions
Aug. 2022 • Family
Horrible people found their way to make money pushing the tourists to pay 4000 pesos. İf you resist they threaten you with taking you to jail. Collaborating with local guıdes!
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RAQUEL
California7 contributions
Jul. 2022 • Couples
Don’t believe the hype! A creepy dark church with people sitting around candles sacrificing chickens, weeping and drinking pox and coke. Tons of spectators make you feel like it’s a show. I had read this place was magical and was really excited but it’s actually really creepy and will leave you feeling gross. Thankfully we took a collectivo there and back so we only wasted 4usd but other travelers we met had been conned into a tour and felt really ripped off. With so many cool things to do and see this is not worth anyones time or energy.
Written July 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
irina j
London, UK1,985 contributions
Apr. 2022 • Family
This was an exceptional visit. When we got into the church , I haven’t seen anything like it before . It has a very powerful atmosphere which comes from a mixture of burning candles, people praying in the floor, lots of pine needles coving marble, flowers, saints and of cause local community. It’s impossible to describe and you should experience it. Photos are strictly forbidden inside
Written April 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zandyy
London, UK158 contributions
Dec. 2021
This was one of the highlights of our entire trip. The church is the living beating heart of a community that has very distinct and unusual practices which they are luckily happy to share with others. It's impossible not to get caught up in the spirituality of the place and the people's strong sense of belief. We didn't want to leave.
Unlike most others, we visited independently and without a guide. If you are in a similar situation, don't be concerned to just drop by - there was plenty of parking space when we were there. Just read ahead because there are no explanations and quite a few things that are out of the ordinary so the place will make much better sense if you know what to expect and what things mean.
Unlike most others, we visited independently and without a guide. If you are in a similar situation, don't be concerned to just drop by - there was plenty of parking space when we were there. Just read ahead because there are no explanations and quite a few things that are out of the ordinary so the place will make much better sense if you know what to expect and what things mean.
Written January 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom Schultz
Santiago de Puriscal, Costa Rica270 contributions
Jul. 2021
This is one of the more interesting church visits you will ever have - the Chamula people are fascinating, and the wild blending of Mayan and Christian beliefs are a marvelous event to witness.. you will have to experience yourself since no photo or video is allowed in the church. We were lucky, the church had just been finished its renovations following the damage from the earthquake back in 2017 .
Written August 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy S
Albuquerque, NM1,024 contributions
Apr. 2021 • Couples
If you speak a bit of Spanish, you can easily see the hill towns near San Cristobal without taking a tour. Colectivos (shared vans) run to and from little stations near the Barrio de los Mexicanos market in San Cristobal to and from both San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan, mainly taking indigenous people from those towns to the city to sell their crafts and produce. Even if you have a few days in the area, don't miss San Juan Chamula! Located on the main square, the Church of San Juan Bautista is pretty enough outside, with its lovely green decorative touches on pure white. But inside (where photos aren't allowed), it offers an extraordinary glimpse into indigenous culture. Long-leafed pine needles cover the floor, reflecting the Mayan belief that one's feet should never touch a sacred structure. Local people kneel on the floor praying next to tows of thin candles. Santos (statues of saints) line the walls. Except for windows high on the walls, the only light comes from the candles. While being overwhelmed by the scene inside the church, don't miss the botanical gardens adjoining and behind it. When we went through it in April, the mingled scents of roses and pines met us. Irises brightened the paths. Interpretive signs (in Spanish, some fairly faded) explain the religious and medicinal uses of the trees and other plants. A shaded section in the back displayed various species of bromeliads.
Written April 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brandylady
Aberdeen, UK1,230 contributions
Feb. 2020
Very interesting to visit this rather odd traditional village where a festival to a saint was going on and men and boys were running in circles round the main square dressed up in bright and flamboyant costumes with large flags on poles . Photos are permitted from afar but not close up . Then we went into the church where the floor was covered in pine needles and thousands of candles were burning . This is a completely different type of church to normal as it follows Mayan beliefs - no Bibles or or priests here . The people do rituals by a shamen to remove bad spirits etc from their bodies by using a chicken to absorb all the bad spirits and then it is killed and buried to get rid of them . It was very busy . People were praying , chanting, sleeping, eating, feeding babies and some even on their phones so as you can imagine ... so different from a usual church.
Please be aware - No photos allowed inside the church at all .
Please be aware - No photos allowed inside the church at all .
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rocio a
distrito federal mexico9 contributions
Increíble!
Cuando pasas la puerta crees tener una idea de lo que verás, sin embargo quedas impactado de ver la mezcla de cultura, de religión; es increíble ver rezando a la gente sentada en el piso, dividida grupos con muchísimas veladoras hablando en Tzotzil, la iglesia llena de ramas de pino, con ofrendas....... es una iglesia católica, sin embargo lo que ocurre adentro no es lo tradicional.
Contraten al guía, indispensable para entender esto tan extraño,
Alfredo9747
Mexico City, Mexico73 contributions
No es católica es ortodoxa ni registro tiene en Vaticano
rawsoul
Termoli, Italy3,167 contributions
Ciao, vorrei sapere se i riti si celebrano soltanto la mattina oppure a qualsiasi ora del giorno. Grazie
dagian
59 contributions
Ciao, puoi andare a st. juan bautista quando vuoi. Visto che non c’è un sacerdote che officia il rito, sono le famiglie stesse che decidono quando andare in chiesa e per quanto tempo rimanere.
Hola, alguien sabe si hay algún horario de misas en la iglesia?
Gracias!
Marlene
Monterrey, Mexico146 contributions
A las 9 am primero una misa normal y luego otra misa en su lengua
meira_10
Tel Aviv, Israel25 contributions
Hi everyone. I will be visiting Chiapas in November. Our day in San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan cannot be arranged for a Sunday, but for a Wednesday. Is it a must to visit the Church of St. Juan Bautista on a Sunday in order to fully experience the atmosphere and the happenings? Are we still going to get the essence of the worshiping on a week day? Thanks.
Nigel B
Ferring, UK401 contributions
We went midweek and plenty was happening. People all seem to do their own thing at the numerous separate shrines although I am not sure what happens on a Sunday. Don’t miss it - spend time quietly walking around taking it all in and of course no photos.
KAREN F
Berkeley, CA2 contributions
What day or days do they do the rituals at the church in Chamula? We will be there on a Tuesday morning. Will there be anything to see then?
Nigel B
Ferring, UK401 contributions
We went on a weekday and it was pretty busy. Be aware you can’t take photos inside and you can only take the outside at a distance. People are very superstitious and things could get awkward if you start waving your phone/camera around. You would not want to get on the wrong side of these people, you are on their territory and even the Mexican Govt stays at a distance. Inside it is so different to any church I have been in before. I imagine it has more in common with churches in the Deep South of the US. If you see large cardboard boxes on the floor, the chances are these are chickens for sacrifice. It is very worthwhile to go inside (pay at shed to left of church to get tickets), as the memories will remain with you for a long time. It was one of the highlights of our three week tour across Mexico. Maybe worth taking a guide who can explain some things in more details before you go in. You can’t really talk once you are in there. There is a market in front of the church which is quite interesting. I would be a bit wary about eating/buying anything that has been cooked/cleaned in the local water as it is OK for the locals but not for tourists.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingChurch of St. Juan Bautista (San Juan Chamula, Mexico): Address, Phone Number, Attraction Reviews - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Church of St. Juan Bautista
- Hotels near Church of St. Juan Bautista:
- (7.69 km) Bela's B&B
- (8.16 km) La Joya Hotel San Cristobal
- (8.01 km) Casa Lum
- (8.13 km) Guayaba Inn
- (8.25 km) Casa Santa Lucia
- Restaurants near Church of St. Juan Bautista:
- (7.99 km) Trattoria Catanzaro
- (8.00 km) Restaurant Casa Lum
- (7.88 km) Tarumba Restaurante
- (8.00 km) Restaurant Belil
- (8.01 km) Taniperla