The Albarrada
White houses on the riverbank.
Alfredodh — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Juan Esteban Villegas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Juan Esteban Villegas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · cesar pineda — CC BY-SA 3.0 · cesar pineda — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Zezar02 — CC BY-SA 3.0
Mompox is a colonial town on a branch of the Magdalena River in northern Colombia. UNESCO listed its historic centre as a World Heritage Site in 1995 for its preserved colonial architecture and mixture of styles. It is a quiet, hot town that lives today on tourism, fishing and trade. Alonso de Heredia founded it on 3 May 1537 as a safe port on the river, and it prospered by moving goods inland, with a royal mint and a name for its goldsmiths. On 6 August 1810 it declared independence from Spain under the motto Be Free or Die, and Simón Bolívar came in 1812. Silt built up in the early twentieth century and the port declined, leaving the town much as it was. Its finest feature is the long streets running beside the river, among them the Albarrada on the water and Calle Real del Medio. Fine wrought iron decorates the doors, railings and window grills. You see the yellow Santa Bárbara church and its tower, San Agustín, and the San Juan de Dios Hospital, described as the oldest in the Americas still working in its original building. The riverbank has benches and big trees. The town is 36.1 km in a straight line east of Magangué, the way most visitors come. The midday heat is fierce, so walk in the morning and before sunset and carry water. The churches are places of worship, so dress modestly. Ask about local silver work if you want a gift from here.
White houses on the riverbank.
A yellow front and distinctive tower.
Decorated doors and window grills.
Magdalena River bank, Mompox, Bolívar department
Most visitors come through Magangué and cross the river, so check the options when you travel.
One night is enough for the streets and riverbank, and the pleasure lies in walking slowly morning and evening.