Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Take some of Michigan’s produce home with you.
American Spoon
The Edmond Bombing Memorial in Mitch Park.
Edmond Bombing Memorial
The Diamond Ape Skull at the Diamond Museum.
Diamond Museum
The exterior view of the large castle.
Castello di Gropparello (Gropparello Castle)
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Costa Rica Grecia Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes

This Costa Rican chapel is the most metal church in the world, literally.

Grecia, Costa Rica

Added By
Tom Hudson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes   Jean-Philippe Boulet on Wikimedia Commons
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
Front of the church   Ryan Cragun
View from the front   The LEAF project
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Most any resident of Grecia would point to the church as its most notable structure, but the Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes church in Grecia is extra-special in that it is made entirely from sheet metal. 

The bright red house of worship was built in the late 19th century out of plates of imported Belgian steel. The separate plates have been plainly riveted together and the whole building painted red.  Given the odd make-up of the building, a number of legends regarding the reasons behind the church's construction have appeared over the years. One zany theory is that the church, having been imported from Europe, was meant for Greece, but got sent to the slightly similar sounding town of Grecia. Another story says that it was meant for Chile but, due to bureaucratic quicksand, the building simply settled in Grecia. However, the truth behind the building would seem to be the one answer no one wants to believe: that the church was simply purchased by the local government and a group of investors.

More specifically, the decision to purchase the church in all pre-fab metal seems to have been the work of a wealthy coffee exporter, although his reasons are unclear. Most churches are a magnet for believers but the Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes may want to avoid magnets altogether. 

Related Tags

Churches Architectural Oddities Architecture Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

thudson3055

Edited By

Martin, Chiricuto, EricGrundhauser, Findingbalance18

  • Martin
  • Chiricuto
  • EricGrundhauser
  • Findingbalance18

Published

November 14, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://costaricacurious.com/grecias-heavy-metal-church/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grecia
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes
Grecia
Costa Rica
10.072983, -84.310982

Nearby Places

Parque Francisco Alvarado

Zarcero, Costa Rica

miles away

Territorio de Zaguates (Land of Strays)

Alajuela, Costa Rica

miles away

Sanatorio Durán (Durán Sanatorium)

Potrero Cerrado, Costa Rica

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Central America

Places 24
Stories 4

Nearby Places

Parque Francisco Alvarado

Zarcero, Costa Rica

miles away

Territorio de Zaguates (Land of Strays)

Alajuela, Costa Rica

miles away

Sanatorio Durán (Durán Sanatorium)

Potrero Cerrado, Costa Rica

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Central America

Places 24
Stories 4

Related Places

  • Ascoli Piceno, Italy

    Basilica di San Frances Musical Pillars

    These pillars at the main entrance of this church are actually a hidden musical instrument.

  • Drumheller, Alberta

    The Little Church

    A six-person chapel in the middle of Alberta's badlands.

  • Front view.

    Nafplio, Greece

    Church of Agioi Pantes

    A staircase made of gravestones leads up to this church built into a giant rock.

  • Église du Bon-Pasteur

    Lyon, France

    Église du Bon-Pasteur

    This abandoned church in central Lyon is missing its front stairs.

  • Templo del Señor de los Rayos.

    Aguascalientes, Mexico

    Templo del Señor de los Rayos (Temple of the Lord of the Rays)

    The history of this futuristic crypt-turned-temple is as curious as its facade.

  • View of the church and its spire.

    Copenhagen, Denmark

    Church of Our Saviour

    Climb to the top of its spiral spire for spectacular views of Copenhagen.

  • Normanton Church.

    Normanton, England

    Normanton Church

    The sanctuary seems to either float atop the water or sink into the dirt, depending on the water level.

  • Vals, France

    Église Notre-Dame de Vals (Church of Our Lady of Vals)

    A medieval church built into an ancient cave.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.