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Rionegro is mostly known as the city where Medellín’s international airport is located, but there’s more to it than that. We decided to stop by and check it out before a flight to Bogotá.
Introduction to Rionegro
Rionegro was first settled in 1542 and the official name is Ciudad Santiago de Arma de Rionegro. It’s known as the Cradle of Democracy (Cuna de la Democracia) due to its contribution to Colombia’s independence and the Constitution of 1863 was written there.
Our first impression of Rionegro wasn’t that great. Driving into the city center, it was dirty, crowded, and ugly. Once we parked the car and started walking to the main plaza, things changed dramatically. We ended up enjoying our short time there.
Getting to Rionegro
If you’re in Medellín, you can take a bus from Terminal del Norte. The bus terminal in Rionegro is just a couple blocks from the main plaza.
Where to Eat in Rionegro
We didn’t have any meals in town but stopped for coffee.
Brulé (Permanently Closed)
Brulé is a small café at the Rionegro Museum of Arts. I tried their house specialty, Brulé tradicional, which was a coffee with lime and coffee beans. I can’t say I liked it very much.
Main Plaza of Rionegro
The plaza is a beautiful open space surrounded by colonial buildings. In the center is a fountain and equestrian statue of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830).
On the day we visited, there was also an exhibition of military helicopters. In the smaller helicopter, visitors were able to climb inside and take a picture.
Cathedral of St. Nicholas
The Cathedral of St. Nicholas (Concatedral de San Nicolás el Magno) sits on the east end of the plaza. It was built between 1793 and 1804 and elevated to a cathedral on April 20, 1968, by Pope Paul VI. The congregation was founded in 1668.
Rionegro Museum of Arts (MAR)
On the west end of the plaza, you can see the results of a major redevelopment. The Rionegro Museum of Arts (Museo de Artes de Rionegro), or MAR, has been built into a space underneath the plaza. At the bottom of the ramp, you’ll find galleries for permanent and temporary exhibitions as well as a café. The museum is typically open daily and admission is free (as of August 2024).
The permanent gallery contained historic paintings related to Colombia and the city. The temporary gallery contained an interesting exhibit about the Colombian Air Force.
Church of San Francisco
A couple blocks from the plaza, we found the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco). Construction not the wooden building began in 1759. It’s interesting to stop into if the doors are open.
Convention House
On the next block is the Convention House (Casa de la Convención). This small colonial house played an important role in Colombian history. The Constitution of 1863 was signed in the house on May 8 of that year, after the formation of the United States of Colombia. The house is now a museum containing six rooms with items and images pertaining to the signing of the constitution. Admission is free (as of June 2024).
Unfortunately, the museum was closed for renovation when we visited, but the security guard let us walk around the courtyard. The courtyard features busts of important people from Rionegro as well as an old carriage.
Roman Catholic Diocese Offices
Next door are the offices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sonsón-Rionegro. They’re located in a pair of older buildings adjacent to each other. The door on one of the buildings really caught my eye.
Murals
Finally, walking back to the car, we found some interesting murals on a street that was being repaved.
