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Villa del Rosario is the city where the country of Colombia was born. It’s located about 20 minutes south of the city of Cúcuta and 2 kilometers from the border of Venezuela.
Introduction to Villa del Rosario
Villa del Rosario was founded in 1761. It was the birthplace of many heroes of Colombian independence, including General Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840), Colonel Pedro Fortoul (1780-1837), and Colonel José Concha (1785-1830). Philosopher Frutos Joaquin Guitierrez de Caviedes (1770-1816) and priest Nicolas Mauricio de Omaña (1780-1817), both signers of the Act of Independence on July 20, 1810, were also born there.
Thanks to a devastating earthquake in 1875, most of historic Villa del Rosario has been lost. Whatever’s left is contained in a small historical complex, Parque Gran Colombiano.
Getting to Villa del Rosario
If you don’t have your own transportation, you can take a bus from Cúcuta heading to San Antonio del Táchira in Venezuela and ask to be let off at the park. Don’t take a bus to Villa del Rosario itself because you’ll end up quite far from the historical complex.
Where to Eat in Villa del Rosario
If you get hungry during your visit, we can recommend one place for lunch.
Restaurante Los Ochoa
Restaurante Los Ochoa is just across the street from Parque Gran Colombiano. Their specialty is chicken, but they serve an excellent picada for two with a delicious mixture of chicken, chorizo, and beef served over a bed of fries. Our waiter recommended pouring the avocado salad onto the picada, which made it even tastier.
Parque Gran Colombiano
Parque Gran Colombiano commemorates the Congress of Cúcuta, which took place on the site in 1821. Among the participants were Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), Francisco de Paula Santander, and Antonio Nariño (1765-1823).
The congress elected Bolívar as president and Santander as vice president of the newly-formed country of Gran Colombia (present day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama, and parts of Peru, Guyana, and Brazil). They also approved the draft of the Constitution of 1821, which is considered the first constitution of Colombia. It was in effect until the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1831.
Unfortunately, at the time of our visit El Parque de la Gran Colombia was disappointing. It was shameful that it was clearly not cared for. Weeds were growing out of control in some places and there was an abandoned concession stand. (Note: The park underwent a major renovation and reopened to the public in November 2023. Apparently, it has been beautified and there are some new features.)
Plaza de los Mártires
In the center of the park is the Plaza de los Mártires, which translates to Martyrs’ Square. A fading monument listed the names of those who took part in the congress and other important information.
Historic Temple
The Congress of Cúcuta was held in a church now known as the Historic Temple (Templo Histórico). The church lies in ruins, with only a partially reconstructed dome, parts of the outer wall, and bases of pillars still standing.
Under the dome, which was reconstructed in 1886 under priest Manuel María Lizardo, there’s a statue of Bolívar and a few commemorative plaques indicating the important historic event that took place there.
Birth House of General Santander
Somewhat detached from the park on the north end is the Birth House of General Santander (Casa Natal del General Santander). It was the highlight of our visit to Villa del Rosario. Admission is free (as of November 2024), and it’s open daily except Mondays. Please be aware it’s closed from 11am to 2pm Tuesday through Friday and noon to 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840) was born in the house and lived there until the age of 13. It was destroyed during the earthquake in 1875 and rebuilt, with a major restoration taking place in 1971. The house now hosts an excellent interactive museum that chronicles the history of Colombia from pre-Columbian and colonial times through Colombian independence. Unfortunately, everything is in Spanish.
A special room is dedicated to Santander and includes several personal items used by the general. I particularly liked the detailed map of his travels through Europe.
After visiting the museum, you can walk around the grounds of the house. They contain several tall palms and a patio with a statue of Santander.
