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The city of Paipa is famous for its natural hot springs. It’s located in the department of Boyacá.
Introduction to Paipa
Paipa was originally inhabited by the indigenous Muisca people. In 1539, Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada (1509-1579) passed through on his search for the Sun Temple, which was located in modern-day Sogamoso. Dominican friars were sent to the village in 1555 to convert the natives.
The modern town of Paipa was founded by Luís Enríquez on February 19, 1602, and the first church was built shortly after. The Battle of Vargas Swamp (Batalla del Pantano de Vargas), one of the most important battles of the Colombian War of Independence, took place just outside town on July 25, 1819.
In 1825, specialists arrived to analyze the local mineral waters, leading to a spa tourism boom starting in 1852. The first passenger trains arrived from Bogotá in late 1930. Mineral water pools and spas were built in 1938. Today, the main industries are tourism and agriculture.
Parque Jaime Rook
There’s very little to see in the city itself outside Parque Jaime Rooke, which is the main plaza in Paipa. It’s named for British officer James Rook (1770-1819), who fought for Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) in the Venezuelan and Colombian Wars of Independence. There’s a fountain in the center, a church on the north side, and city hall is on the east side. It once hosted the city’s market square.
Archangel Michael Cathedral
Archangel Michael Cathedral (Catedral San Miguel Arcángel) was built between 1906 and 1920 on the site of the first church in Paipa. It was consecrated as a cathedral on December 8, 1951. Unfortunately, it was closed when we walked by.
Lake Sochagota
Just outside of town is Lake Sochagota (Lago Sochagota), which occupies an area of 1.6 kilometers and has an average depth of 3 meters. This artificial lake was created in 1956 to boost tourism to the city and features a promenade on the east side. You can look out over the lake and see all the resorts and luxury homes. Barco Libertad, which offers touristic cruises on weekends, is docked there.
On the south side of the lake there are a couple boardwalks. You can get a good look at the city center of Paipa from there.
Hacienda El Salitre
Hacienda El Salitre is a villa dating back to the end of the 16th century. Now serving as a hotel, it’s historically significant because it was used as a temporary headquarters for Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) after the Battle of Vargas Swamp. He stayed there with his soldiers for 3 nights beginning on August 4, 1819, and had a crucial meeting with General Carlos Soublette (1789-1870).
The first landowner was Domingo de Aguirre, and it became property of the Jesuits in 1712. After the Jesuits were expelled by the Spanish crown, the Spanish government obtained ownership of the hacienda. They auctioned it to wealthy Peruvian Agustín Justo de Medina in 1771, who built the mansion and built pools to take advantage of the natural thermal springs. After his death, the property passed to his granddaughter, Isabel Rojas de Medina, and her husband, José Joaquín Ortiz Nagle.
After Colombian independence, the mansion was owned by several different families until it was sold to the department of Boyacá in 1939. It was later restored by artist Luis Alberto Acuña (1904-1993), and it became a hotel in the 1960s.
Hacienda El Salitre is about 3 kilometers from the center of Paipa. It’s worth a visit even if you aren’t staying at the hotel. The staff will be happy to show you around the grounds and let you see the rooms. You can also get a day pass and take advantage of the natural hot springs by taking a dip in the pool, or grab a meal at the excellent restaurant.
Features of Hacienda El Salitre
Hacienda El Salitre was built with local materials such as clay, wood, reeds, guadua, and sandstone. It features a total of 27 stone arches, stone columns, and a chapel. A long portico fronted by a patio provides a great place to sit and relax or enjoy a drink.
The grounds are gorgeous, containing paths and a multi-level patio paved with large stones. A humongous tree sits in the center of the section surrounded by the rooms, and there’s a well in the lower section.
A reading room provides guests with games, and there’s also a small museum about the independence campaign in Boyacá.
A courtyard with changing rooms leads to the pool area behind the main building. Water from the natural hot springs is pumped directly into the pool. A spa is also available for massages and treatments.
Finally, the small Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua (Capilla San Antonio de Padua), completed in 1780, sits near the main building.
Guest Rooms at Hacienda El Salitre
There are 24 colonial-style guest rooms on the property including two suites. The standard rooms are simple with comfortable beds and a nice bathroom. Some of them come with a private thermal bath, with direct access to water from the natural hot springs.
The suites are called Lanceros and Bolívar. The Lanceros Suite, where we stayed, is on the ground floor. It’s a huge room with a fireplace and a private thermal bath.
Directly above the Lanceros Suite is the Bolívar Suite, and is where Bolívar actually slept. It’s the same as Suite Lanceros except it doesn’t have the private thermal bath.
Restaurant at Hacienda El Salitre
There are three different sections in the restaurant, which serves excellent regional and international cuisine. One section has period furniture, another has a few tables and a bar, and the third section is a casual dining room.
We had a wonderful dinner the night we stayed at Hacienda El Salitre. It started with a complimentary plate of olives, toast, and a tomato and olive oil spread. I had a French onion soup and we shared a plate of sautéed mushrooms.
For our main course, Marisol had shrimp risotto while I ate calamari over a bed of rice. All of the food was excellent, although it can seem a bit pricy for Colombia.
Our Thoughts on Hacienda El Salitre
Overall, we had a relaxing stay at Hacienda El Salitre. The comfort of the room, quality of the restaurant, good service, and peace and quiet are absolutely worth splurging for.
Vargas Swamp
On July 25, 1819, at Vargas Swamp (Pantano de Vargas), troops led by Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) confronted Spanish royalist troops trying to reach Bogotá, which was lightly defended. Even though they were exhausted after crossing a mountain pass, Bolívar’s troops defeated the Spanish, who were commanded by Colonel José María Barreiro (1793-1819). This victory was followed by another at Puente de Boyacá just two weeks later, securing independence from Spain for Gran Colombia (now Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, and parts of Peru and Brazil).
Monument to the Lancers
The victory at Vargas Swamp is commemorated by Colombia’s largest monument, the Monument to the Lancers (Monumento a los Lanceros). It was dedicated in 1970 and designed by artist Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt (1919-1995). The monument, which is 33 meters high, depicts the attack of 14 lancers led by Colonel Juan José Rondón (1790-1822), who made the difference during the battle.
A path leads up to the monument allowing visitors to get a closer look. There are several commemorative plaques around it as well as great views of the site where the battle took place.
Pueblo Boyacense
Next to the monument is a replica village, Pueblo Boyacense. It’s full of souvenir shops and restaurants and there’s a chapel as well.
Vargas Swamp Historic House Museum
There’s also a small museum which was closed during our visit. The Vargas Swamp Historic House Museum (Casa Museo Histórico Pantano de Vargas) gives a thorough description of the battle. Admission is COP$3,000 (as of February 2024).
