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Socorro is a city in the Santander department of Colombia, located about an hour south of San Gil. It’s famous for playing an integral role in the Colombian independence movement.
History of Socorro and the Revolt of the Commoners
Socorro was founded on June 16, 1683, and the seeds of revolution in the country were sown in the town in 1781. During that time, the country was known as Nueva Granada and belonged to Spain. The Spanish crown decided to tax the residents of Nueva Granada in order to raise funds to protect it from the British.
On March 16, 1781, a grocer named Manuela Beltrán (c. 1750-???) tore down posters about tax increases. The anger spread and local residents began to come together. Juan Francisco Berbeo (d. 1795), an upper-class member of Socorran society, gathered an army of rebels numbering around 20,000 troops and marched on Bogotá. The army was the largest ever to reach the capital. They defeated the Spanish soldiers sent to meet them, and were able to reach an agreement with the Spanish government on their complaints and conditions.
The Spanish government quickly rejected the agreement and sent reinforcements to quash rebels in the cities and towns that refused to comply with the tax increase. One of the leaders of the revolt, José Antonio Galán (c. 1749-1782), was executed. The Revolt of the Commoners (Comuneros) was over.
Today, Socorro is one of the country’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio). Overall, it isn’t worth a detour unless you’re really interested in Colombian independence. It’s not a particularly attractive town and doesn’t have much going for it other than the few historic buildings and the cathedral.
Getting to Socorro
Socorro is on the main highway between Bogotá and San Gil. The bus terminal is on the main road and is located just a few blocks from Parque de la Independencia.
Where to Eat in Socorro
We only stopped into one place during our visit to town.
Café Foster (Permanently Closed)
Before leaving Socorro, we had a coffee at Café Foster. It’s a nice place with friendly service but the coffee was terrible.
Parque Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquirá
A good place to start exploring Socorro is at Parque Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquirá. This small plaza is where the Revolt of the Comuneros began with over 2,000 protesters participating. The plaza features a fountain dedicated to Antonia Santos (1782-1819), a Colombian revolutionary leader executed in 1819, and a historic church, Our Lady of Chiquinquirá (Nuestra Señora de Chiquinquirá).
Parque de la Independencia
About four blocks north is Parque de la Independencia, which is the main plaza in Socorro and translates to Independence Park. There, you’ll find a beautiful plaza with tall palm trees and a monument to José Antonio Galán wielding a sword in the center. There’s also a monument to Antonia Santos on the northeast corner in the middle of the road.
Our Lady of Help
The most important building on the park is the church, Our Lady of Help (Nuestra Señora del Socorro). Construction started on December 18, 1873, and it was completed on August 1, 1943. Standing 96 meters, it’s the third tallest church in Colombia. The main altar contains marble imported from Carrara, Italy. In my opinion, it’s one of the more beautiful temples in the country.
Casa de Juan Francisco Berbeo
The rest of the plaza is surrounded by a mixture of colonial and modern buildings. One of them is the Casa de Juan Francisco Berbeo, the home of the rebel army leader, which sits on the southeast corner.
Horacio Rodríguez Plata Museum
Two blocks east of the plaza is the Horacio Rodríguez Plata Museum and Cultural Center (Museo Casa de la Cultura Horacio Rodríguez Plata). It’s housed in an 18th century mansion that served as the residence of the Spanish Governor Lucas González in 1816. The museum was founded in 1954 and opened in 1957 as the first cultural center in Colombia. It houses a library, archives, and historical museum, and also hosts painting and music workshops.
Guided visits are available daily. Admission is COP$8,000 for guests over the age of 10 (as of December 2023). Nobody was around to open the door so we couldn’t visit.
Monastery of the Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph
Across from the museum is the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph (Monasterio de la Inmaculada Concepción y San José). It was founded in 1908 and is still active.
Capuchin Monastery of St. John the Baptist
Four blocks east and walking uphill is the Capuchin Monastery of St. John the Baptist (Monasterio de los Capuchinos San Juan Bautista). The monastery and the adjacent Chapel of Santa Barbara (Capilla de Santa Bárbara) were built by a royal decree issued by Spanish King Carlos III in 1786 and inaugurated on July 24, 1795. The first independence act of Colombia was signed there on July 11, 1810, as well as the proclamation of the first constitutional guidelines of Colombia and Latin America on August 15, 1810.
Parque del Convento
Finally, Parque del Convento is a pleasant park in front of the monastery and chapel. You can also get good views of Our Lady of Help from the street.
