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Gigante is a hot and sleepy town in the Huila department of Colombia known for its enormous tree in the town plaza.
Introduction to Gigante
The area around Gigante has been settled since before 1698, and the modern town was founded on September 17, 1782. It was moved to its current location on December 24 that same year. The town was elevated to a municipality in 1789.
The economy of Gigante is heavily dependent on coffee and cacao cultivation. Outside of town there are numerous cacao plantations, making the town the “Cacao Capital of Colombia”. Some of these plantations can be visited for a demonstration on cacao production. There are also a few small nature reserves for hiking.
Getting to Gigante
Gigante is on the road between Neiva and Pitalito. Every bus traveling between these cities will pass through Gigante. Cootranshuila and Coomotor are the big ones, while Cootransgigante offers a speedier direct service to Neiva that bypasses the bus terminal and drops you off in the city center.
Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor is the heart of Gigante. It was first laid out in the 18th century and is surrounded by government offices, restaurants, and coffee shops.
A 14-meter high guitar monument was inaugurated in December 2017 to honor local musician Luis Alberto Osorio (1907-1978). Another monument dedicated to Osorio was added in 2007 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth.
La Ceiba de la Libertad
In 1851, slavery was abolished in independent Nueva Granada (modern day Colombia), and in honor of the new law, on October 5 of that year, a tree was planted in the center of Gigante’s plaza.
While battling a fungus eating away at its roots, La Ceiba de la Libertad continues to grow and is a proud symbol of the town. You can’t get up close to it because it’s fenced off in the center of the plaza, but it’s an impressive site nonetheless.
The tree is shrouded in legends. Some say that if it dies, there will be grave consequences for Gigante, such as the return of slavery. Others believe that there’s a giant sinkhole under the tree that will swallow the town. Another legend says that the trunk of the tree contains a column of gold. In any case, the community is doing their best to preserve the tree.
Church of San Antonio
The other attraction on the plaza is the Church of San Antonio (Iglesia de San Antonio). It was originally built in 1843 and reconstructed between 1851 and 1858. The roof was built in 1872 and several religious works were completed by 1881. The church features a single nave lined with chapels as well as a lateral chapel added later.
Where to Eat in Gigante
We stopped into one place for lunch.
Asadero Restaurant La Ceiba
We had lunch at La Ceiba, a restaurant located on the plaza. The quality of the food was good and so was the service.
