Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana

The Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana stands on the western shore of Lake Titicaca in the Bolivian town of Copacabana, holding the rank of basilica minor within the Diocese of El Alto. Completed in 1679, the structure blends Renaissance architectural forms with colonial Andean character — its whitewashed courtyards and facades standing out sharply against the high-altitude lakeside landscape. The basilica's central treasure is a polychrome wooden statue of the Virgin of Copacabana, carved in the late 16th century by indigenous sculptor Tito Yupanqui and later declared patroness of Bolivia. Each year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from Bolivia and Peru arrive for major feasts in February and August, with processions winding along the lakeshore. The walk up to the basilica offers broad views across Lake Titicaca toward the Peruvian altiplano.