They are municipalities where the past coexists with the present in each street.
News Colombia.
Colombia is a country that is discovered through its people. In each cobblestone street, in each wide square and in each colonial facade, a part of the history that has marked the country for centuries is kept. Throughout the national territory there are municipalities that, beyond their beauty, preserve traditions, crafts and memories that make them true guardians of the past.
These towns, recognized as heritage, have remained faithful to their identity despite the passage of time. Their colonial architecture, their relationship with historical events and their living customs have turned them into tourist destinations of high cultural value, where the visitor not only explores landscapes, but also understands how the history of Colombia has been built.
According to Colombia Travelseveral of these heritage towns are concentrated in regions such as Boyacá and Santander, areas where colonial heritage, royal roads and rural life continue to mark the daily rhythm of their inhabitants and offer authentic experiences to those who visit them.
One of those destinations is Monguiin Boyacá, a municipality that has known how to combine tradition and sustainability. Recognized for its colonial architecture and mountainous landscapes, this town was declared the most beautiful in the department in 1980 and, since 2018, has been certified as a sustainable tourist destination. Among its main attractions are the municipality’s basilica, the historic Calicanto Bridge and its renowned tradition in the artisanal manufacture of balls, a craft that has been maintained since 1930 and that has taken its products to national and international sports venues.
In Santander, San Juan de Giron It is presented as one of the best preserved historical centers in the country. Declared a national monument in 1959, this municipality preserves houses with white walls and mud roofs that surround its main park, a former commercial meeting point during the colonial period. In its surroundings are the Calicanto bridges and the Mansión del Fraile House Museum, an emblematic place where the act of independence was signed and which today functions as a colonial museum, cultural and gastronomic space.
National history also has a key chapter in The Helpa municipality that was a protagonist during the colonial era and in political processes that marked the country. Its historic center was declared a Site of National Cultural Interest in 1963 and preserves scenes linked to events such as the Thousand Days War. There you can visit the House of Culture, the Basilica Nuestra Señora del Socorro – considered one of the largest stone cathedrals in Colombia – and the Convent of San Juan Bautista, the first Capuchin convent founded in America and the scene of the proclamation of the independence of the Free State of Socorro in 1810.
In the Boyacá highlands, Villa de Leyva It is consolidated as one of the most visited heritage towns in the country. Declared a national monument in 1954, this municipality preserves almost intact colonial architecture, surrounded by rural landscapes. Its greatest symbol is the Plaza Mayor, one of the largest in South America, around which there are cultural spaces such as the Antonio Nariño House Museum, the Paleontological Museum and the Terracota House.
Finally, Baricharain Santander, remains one of the most representative towns of Colombian heritage. Founded in 1705 and declared a national monument in 1978, this municipality stands out for its cobblestone streets, ocher facades and a quiet atmosphere that attracts travelers from all over the country. Among its main attractions are the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the Rafael Ortiz Prada Viewpoint, overlooking the Suárez River canyon, and the historic Camino Real a Guane, a route that leads to a small town where traditional architecture and calm seem to have stopped in time.
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