General Information

Santa Cruz de Mompox

Mompox is located in the Northern Colombia. It is a town of the Bolivar Department. 

It is located on a island in the Magdalena River where it joins the Cauca River, 249 kilometers from cartagena. 

It has about 30.000 inhabitants. Mompox has preserved its colonial character.

                     












Location of Mompox


Caño Cristales

Caño Cristales is a Colombian River located on the Serrania de la Macarena province of Meta.
The River is commonly called "The River of  Five Colors" or "The Liquid Rainbow" and is even referred to as the most beautiful in the world due to its striking colors. The bed of river in the end of July-November is colored in gaudy colors, including yellow, green, blue, black and especially red.

Location of Caño cristales

We invite you to choose any of there two great hidden paradise. 
If you want to know the history, you travel Mompox, this town has a captivating atmosphere. Besides this architecture has an excellent and The Mompox is very quiet place to rest.
Or if you want a weekend of high adventure and admire nature. You have to go Caño Cristales. The River of Five Colors captivate you with its beauty.

It's up to you.It will be worth! 

Learn more about our culture and regions. We invite you to watch the video you will like.

Caño Cristales's Flora and Fauna

The Serrania de la Macarena is located on the border of three large ecosystems, each of them with high diversity of flora and fauna: The Andes, The Eastern Llanos and The Amazon Rainforest.

Caño Cristales River has a aquatic plants bed is devoid of the fish because the water of the river is extremely clean due to the lack of nutrients and small particles. But the tableland is home to about 420 species of birds, 10 species of amphibians, 43 species of reptiles and 8 primates.

The red color is caused by great quantities of endemic plants species Macarenia Clavigera. These red plants adhere tighty to rocks in places where the river has faster current.

Tourism

These are two ways to get there.

1. From Villavicencio, in a DC-3 cargo aircraft coming out every day.

2. Or from Bogota, by direct flight that departs every Friday and returns on Sunday.

Presently there are no campsites available near Caño Cristales. A popular time to visit Caño Cristales is from late July to early December.

Caño Cristales's Geology

The quartzite rocks of the Serrania de la Macarena tableland formed approximately 1,2 billion years ago.

Often in the bed have formed small circular pits-giants kettles, which have been formed by pebbles of chunks of harder rocks
When one of These harder rock fragments falls into one of the Cavities, it is rotated by the water current and Begins to carve at the cavity wall and Increases the dimensions of the pit.

Caño Cristales is a fast river with many rapids and waterfalls.

Mompox's Cultural Aspects

Architecture and Buildings 
Mompox is known for the preservation of its colonial architectural features.
UNESCO named the historic center of Mompox as a World Heritage Site in 1995.
You can find some churches like:

1.Santa Barbara (Built 1613)







2. San Agustin (Built 1606)

3. San Francisco (Built 1564)








As well you can find Hospitals ..

 1.San Juan de Dios (Built 1550)









2. Order of the Hospital Brothers (Built 1663)











.. and the Municipal Cemetery

Economy 

Mompox depends upon tourism, fishing and the local cattle raising.

Besides Momposinos are recognized for elaborate objects and jewelry  watermark technique yet, although is very expensive to do it.

Music

Mompox is famous in Colombia as the home of the musician/singer Totó la Momposina and her band. Their music is a fusion of African and Spanish influences.

Images taken from http://www.mompoxcolombia.blogspot.com/
Author  Luis Alfredo Dominguez Hazbun

Mompox's History

Mompox means "Land of the ruler Mampo."
Mampo (or Mompas) was the local indigenous chieftain of the Quimbaya Civilization (or Kimbaya) people when the Spanish arrived.  

The city was founded on May 3, 1537 by Don Alonso de Heredia as a safe port on the Magdalena.
On August 6, 1810 in City Hall was that the Act of Independence from Spain was signed, and the cry "Freedom or Death" was first heard.

It became a quite prosperous as a port for the transportation of goods upriver into the interior. A royal mint was established here and the town was famous for its goldsmiths.

You can hear the anthem of this beautiful city here:

Mompox's Anthem