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Yarumal is a town in the department of Antioquia, about three hours from Medellín. We spent the night there to break up a long drive to Montería. It’s not a touristic destination, but we found it to be a friendly town.
History
Yarumal was founded on March 29, 1787, as San Luis de Góngora. It takes its current name from the yarumo trees that are found in the plaza and throughout town. Their leaves have a whitish top and a green underside.
Plaza
The only thing worth seeing in town is the plaza. It’s a nice space with plenty of trees and benches.
The plaza has a somewhat steep incline and is surrounded by mostly modern brick and concrete buildings. Near the lower part, there’s an interesting monument of a naked woman holding a torch in her right hand and a hole in her torso.
Our Lady of Mercy
On the upper part is the church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy (Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de la Merced). Construction started in 1861 but wasn’t completed until 1944 due to a series of setbacks.
The main altar contains a painting of the Virgin of Mercy (Nuestra Señora de la Merced) that is said to be miraculous. It dates back to the 18th century.
The side altar to the right of the main altar was built in 1915 by cabinetmakers from Carvajal. For a long time, it served as the church’s main altar.
Other works of art include the Stations of the Cross and several statues. A statue of the Fallen Christ, carved by Constantino Carvajal in 1935, is one of the most notable.
Rosenda Torres School
To the left of the church is the Rosenda Torres School (Escuela Rosenda Torres), which was designed by Belgian architect Agustín Goovaerts.
Gran Hotel Yarumal
We stayed at Gran Hotel Yarumal, which is just a couple blocks from the plaza. It’s by far the best place to stay in town. Rooms are simple yet clean and comfortable. Staff is always smiling and helpful.
El Café del Parque
For breakfast, we went to El Café del Parque, which is at the lower end of the main plaza. Again, staff was smiling and friendly, and the food was good.
