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Sincelejo is a large inland Caribbean city in the Sucre department of Colombia.
Introduction to Sincelejo
Sincelejo was founded on October 4, 1535, at the site of a small indigenous Zenú settlement. It was re-founded on November 21, 1775, by Antonio de la Torre y Miranda (1734-1805), a Spanish soldier. Its main economy is livestock and agriculture. The city is at an important crossroads, linking Cartagena and Barranquilla with Montería, Coveñas, and Magangué.
Today, Sincelejo is known for its handicrafts, musical tradition, and lively cultural festivals. Having heard good things about the city, we passed through on our way from Coveñas to Mompox and decided to stop and see it. Unfortunately, we found it to be largely uninspiring.
Parque Santander
Sadly, there are no real highlights outside the main plaza, Parque Santander. The plaza dates back to 1776 and is where the very first annual bullfights (corralejas) took place in 1845. They ran until 1964, when they were moved to the Majagual Cultural Plaza.
In the center is a monument to Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840). On the west end is the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi (Catedral San Francisco de Asis), which was closed at the time of our visit. It was established in 1853.
Majagual Cultural Plaza
On our way out of town, we passed by the Majagual Cultural Plaza, which is an open space used for cultural events. It hosted the aforementioned bullfights for many years as well as sporting events. The current design dates back to 2007, when it was relaunched as a cultural plaza. A large arch spans one end of the plaza while tiered seating surrounds three sides.
Our Thoughts on Sincelejo
Overall, we expected much more from our visit. As a departmental capital, we had hoped to find something cultural as well as some interesting architecture. Needless to say, it will likely be the only time we bother to stop in Sincelejo. It’s not worth going out of the way to visit unless you’re attending one of the festivals.
