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La Merced is a small coffee producing town in the Caldas department of Colombia. The town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.
Introduction to La Merced
We stopped by on our way to Salamina. There’s nothing of importance to see and there’s no real reason to go out of your way for it. If you do decide to stop, you can see pretty much everything of interest in the town in a very short time.
History of La Merced
Before Spanish colonization in the 16th century, the territory now making up the town belonged to the Polo indigenous group. In the 19th century, an important trade route passed through the area and several inns were constructed. La Merced was officially founded in 1901 and originally belonged to the municipality of Salamina. It became its own municipality on July 19, 1973. The town is named after the Virgin of Mercy.
Parque de Bolívar
The town itself is very small and centered around the main square, Parque de Bolívar. It’s surrounded by mostly modern constructions colonial buildings with shops and restaurants on the ground floor. In the center is a statue of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830).
Church of Our Lady of Mercy
The Church of Our Lady of Mercy (Parroquia Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes) sits on the north side of the square. It’s a modern concrete and brick construction with two towers. One of the towers features a clock. The nave of the church has a flat roof and contains two aisles on each side. Some stained glass windows sit behind the altar.
