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Cúcuta is a city on the Colombian border with Venezuela. It’s not a tourist destination but there are a few things to see.
Introduction to Cúcuta
Officially San José de Cúcuta, the city was founded by Juana Rangel de Cuellar (1649-1736) on June 17, 1733. It’s the capital of the Norte de Santander department and one of the most important cities for commerce in Colombia.
Our main purpose for visiting was to see Villa del Rosario, a historic area just 15 minutes south of the city. We arrived by car from Pamplona in just under two hours.
Because it’s a large border city, we were expecting Cúcuta to be unfriendly, seedy, and dirty. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness, the friendly people, and the amount of high-quality shopping. There are much worse border cities to be stuck in than Cúcuta, which typically has very hot weather. We were happy we took the time to walk around.
Parque Santander
Parque Santander is the main plaza in Cúcuta and a great place to start exploring the city. We were impressed at how nice and clean the plaza was, with several trees and a monument to Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840) in the center.
Surrounding Parque Santander are several banks and currency exchange offices as well as retail stores. The Cúcuta City Hall (Alcaldía de Cúcuta) is also located there.
Cathedral of San José de Cúcuta
The most important building on Parque Santander is the Cathedral of San José de Cúcuta (Catedral de San José de Cúcuta). The parish dates back to 1734 but the original church was destroyed in a devastating earthquake in 1875. Construction of the current church began in 1905 under priest Demetrio Mendoza. The remains of the first Bishop of Cúcuta, Monseñor Luis Hernandez, are inside.
Parque Colón
Parque Colón, which is another plaza, is a few blocks away. It was laid out in 1899 when the first trees were planted, and it was completed and inaugurated in 1910. The park has officially been called Parque La Victoria since 1919 in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Boyacá. Bullfights were once held there.
Today, Parque Colón is a nice public space with plenty of trees, a gazebo, and a column topped by a statue of Victory in the center. The column was made by Crisanto Ramírez and the sculpture by Olinto Marcucci (1896-1982). It was erected in 1919.
Julio Pérez Ferrero Public Library
Three important buildings sit on Parque Colón. The largest and most prominent is the Julio Pérez Ferrero Public Library (Biblioteca Pública Julio Pérez Ferrero). It was founded on April 4, 1919, as the Puente de Boyacá Library (Biblioteca Puente de Boyacá) in what was once the Hospital San Juan de Dios. The library was renamed for Secretary of Public Instruction Julio Pérez Ferrero after his death in 1927. It’s often recognized as one of the best libraries in the country.
Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Next to the library is the small Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Capilla Nuestra Señora del Carmen), which was closed. It’s one of the few buildings that survived the 1875 earthquake and is the oldest Catholic temple in the city.
Our Lady of the Forsaken
Another church, Our Lady of the Forsaken (Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados), sits across Parque Colón. It was also closed when we walked by.
Clock Tower
Just off Parque Colón is the Clock Tower (Torre del Reloj). It was constructed in 1923 as an office building. The tower was added in 1930 and the clock was later imported from Italy. Today, the building serves as a cultural center. We didn’t visit, but when we walked by we noticed there was a photography exhibit.
Norte de Santander Museum
Finally, the Norte de Santander Museum (Museo Norte de Santander) is about a block south of Parque Colón. It’s dedicated to the art and culture of Norte de Santander. Unfortunately, it was closed when we passed by. It’s typically open daily from Monday through Friday and admission is free (as of November 2024).
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