Comuna 13 History

Within what is now Comuna 13 there used to be a hamlet called Las Granjas. In the late 1800’s that was later changed to a neighborhood of Medellin called La America.

It was full of big farms devoted to agricultural production since the altitude is very appropriate to grow many types of fruits and vegetables.

However, the usage of the land changed dramatically  after 1946 when a housing cooperative transformed a big farm into a residential sector.

From that moment many illegal settlements developed in the surrounding areas (especially during the 60’s and 70’s) when many people sold their lands to new settlers coming from many different Colombian cities looking for jobs in the flourish economy.

More than 1,500 families settled in Comuna 13 and founded Las Independencias I, II, III and Nuevos Conquistadores (new Conquerors).

This is why we could say that Comuna 13 is a place that from it’s foundation has been poorly managed by the local government and it has been historically occupied by immigrants.

These victims were forced to leave their homes and live in this unknown new neighborhood with no skills apart from farming and construction knowledge.

All these displacement victims with no jobs, living in poorly self-constructed houses of wood and aluminum materials, taking water from contaminated streams and stealing electricity, were absolutely vulnerable to offers from gangs involved in smuggling and trafficking drugs.

From the late 80’s and beginning of 90’s Paramilitares, FARC and ELN were disputing the control of the area since this territory is strategically located as a way to take out cocaine and take in weaponry.

It was not until 2002 when Alvaro Uribe got elected as president of Colombia and decided to intervene in Comuna 13 along with the support and encouragement of the then Mayor of Medellin Luis Perez (currently the Governor of Antioquia).

As a result 10 military operations were implemented in 2002, but the two most important ones were Mariscal and Orión.

The Mariscal operation took place on the 21st of May 2002 with terrible outcomes: 9 people killed, 3 of them underage, all of them innocent civilians.

After getting two of her sons injured during the shootings, a mother decided to wave through the window a white bed sheet shouting “let me out, let me out, I need to take my children to the hospital”. A few minutes later, as an act of pure solidarity, many of her neighbors supported her by doing the same, and in less than 30 minutes the whole neighborhood was covered with white “waved flags” and that was the beginning of the end of the Mariscal Operation.

Thanks to her courage this Mariscal operation did not last that long, however a few hours were enough to destroy the morale of this community and to cause hundreds of displacements to other neighborhoods of Medellin.

Later, in October of 2002, the Orión Operation was implemented. That was the last and biggest military intervention with more than 1,500 officers, two helicopters and one tank brought to Comuna 13.

The Orión operation lasted for 3 days, in which the helicopters were shooting from the air affecting many houses with aluminum rooftops, injuring or killing innocent civilians hiding inside their houses.

It is presumed that the Colombian police and army partnered with the paramilitaries to wipe out the guerrillas from Comuna 13. How do we know that? Because there were many hooded men pointing out which houses should be searched by the police because they knew or believed that the rebels of FARC and ELN were hidden there.

During these 3 days 3 civilians, 10 rebels, 2 soldiers and 1 police officer were killed and many others injured. These are official figures, however the community believes that it is way more than that.

By fortune the end of the Orión operation was also the end of guerrillas in Comuna 13, but guess who took the control of the territory?

“Cold War” in Comuna 13, Medellin.

If you responded “the Paramilitaries” you are right. Since they were helping the Army to fight against guerrillas they got total control of Comuna 13 and a new kind of silent war started.

For the next 2 years paramilitaries were illegally judging and putting many people on trial who were condemned for supposedly helping the guerrillas when they were in charge. Those who were being found guilty were usually condemned to death.

Therefore from 2003 to 2004 (when paramilitaries demobilized) more than 200 people mysteriously disappeared and allegedly buried in a garbage dump called “La Escombrera”.

Through 2002, Comuna 13 registered 450 illegal detentions, 75 casualties out of combat, nearly 100 disappeared and more than 2,000 displaced residents.

During the following years Comuna 13 lived in relative peace since there were not any official paramilitaries or guerrillas. However many dissident gangs took control of the territory and are in charge (even today) of all kinds of illegal activities like trafficking, smuggling, extortions and homicides.

In 2006, as a compensation for many decades of neglecting Comuna 13, the elected mayor decided to invest a huge amount of money to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants and in 2008 a new cable car line in San Javier Station was built to integrate this Comuna with other surrounding communities.

These escalators allow people to climb 384 mts of a very steep hill in only 6 minutes instead of what used to be a torturous climb of 25 minutes.

Another great investment is the “Viaducto Media Ladera” which is a pathway that connects different neighborhoods in a wide and comfortable way, where even motorcycles are allowed and benches were installed so people can integrate outside their houses. The investment in this project was also costly, around 3,5 million dollars. However this project has helped the community greatly.

But definitely the most valuable asset in this place is its people. Welcoming, warm, cheerful, happy are all adjectives that perfectly fit for them. Proud of what they have been through, of what they learned of what they are and have become. Their desire that people shout out loud that their history changed, that their misfortune was left behind, and now their reality is that  their quality of life has improved a lot and that they feel thankful to God and the previous Medellin mayors.

What if all these projects would have been made 20 years ago? Would the conflict have ever happened?

If you want to see by yourself all this transformation, we invite you to take our Graffiti Tour in Comuna 13.

In our tour we explain you even more of the history that you just read in this article as well as the meanings of the graffitis painted throughout the whole neighborhood.

You will also have the chance to try a lot of different typical snacks from Medellin and the Colombian pacific region at the top of the hill.

We also take you for a cable car ride and also to a food market to have a delicious fruit tasting in which you can try at least 10 different fruits that you probably don’t know.

Just let us know when and where we should pick you up and we´ll be there to provide a memorable experience.

The post Comuna 13 in Medellin: History and Present appeared first on Medellin Day Trips.

In this article of Medellin Day Trips, we talk about  how  coffee plantations in Colombia have become one of the  main resources for our farmers.

The Origin Of Colombian Coffee:

There is not certainty about how or when the coffee seeds arrived in La Nueva Granada (now known as Colombia). However, the historians say the Jesuits brought it around 1730.

Tradition says that a traveler from the Guyana who was passing through Venezuela, brought the coffee seeds.

But there is a second theory confirming that  there were coffee seeds in the North-Eastern part of the country.

A priest is attributed to have helped the coffee propagation in Colombia. After confession, farmers were requested to grow coffee as penitence for their sins.

Coffee Production and Exports Boom

The first exportation of green coffee from Colombia ocurred in 1835 with more than 2,560 coffee bags.

It was until 1850 that coffee first arrived in the estate of Caldas  which is now known as “the coffee region”.

Colombia became an important player in the international coffee market in the second half of the 19th century.

Back then, the United States were considered the most important market in the Americas while France and Germany in Europe.

With the booming of international markets rising up, the landowners in Colombia started to exploit  their lands more agressively. Soon, farmers sold tobacco, coffee, leather and even live cattle.

During this period, the Colombian coffee production went from 60,000 bags to 600,000 bags in less than 30 years.

Unfortunately, the production of these sectors went down when the international markets crashed, bringing  a true industrial consolidation to the ground .

The international prices decline along with the Thousand-Day-War, seriously affected the main coffee producers in Colombia. This made it impossible for them to maintain their coffee plantations in good conditions.

The crisis that affected the large estates, brought with it one of the most significant changes in the Colombian coffee industry.

The History Of Colombian Coffee: Small Coffee Producers On The Map

Unlike some other agricultural products, coffee plantations in Colombia are owned by small producers.

This is possible thanks to a new model where  coffee exportation is based on the rural economy.

Both the expansion of this new coffee model and the crisis that affected the larger estates, allowed Antioquia and Caldas to take the lead in the development of the coffee industry in the country.

In the past, farmers growing produce other than coffee needed to clear the land completely by burning and starting afresh.
This was very time consuming and would keep the land unproductive for months while taking a toll on the farmer´s income.
When they heard that coffee plantations had no technical requirements and that pre-existing crops didn´t need any clearance, the idea of having a steady production was enough to make the transition.

It is important to note that  growing coffee in small farms, has contributed to quality control, ensuring  the top quality that characterizes the Colombian coffee worldwide. Thanks to this initiative, Colombia was consolidated as the second largest producer of coffee in the world.

If you like this article about the  history of Colombian coffee, please share it or if you want us to write about a specific subject related to what to do in Medellin, please comment or drop us a message in our Contact Us Form.

In case you want to visit the coffee region in Antioquia (South West) we invite to take the Coffee Plantation Trip to Jardin with us.

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Unlike the Guatape rock, the Marial rock is smaller and  has no steps.

Although  it´s not a touristic place, this 70 -million- year -old rock has been a sanctuary for more than a century and keeps many mysteries that we are about to know.

The first mystery is the way the rocks are lying one on top of the other.

These rocks have never moved which makes it  even more intriguing, considering the amount of earthquakes in the region. In fact, they are the result of  crashing tectonic plates.

The rocks contain the same minerals as the famous Guatape Rock: Mica, Feldspar and Quartz.

Piedra del Marial History

Its history goes back to 1900´s when the priest of El Peñol town stated that he had a vision in which the Virgin Mary asked him to build a sanctuary in the rock.

He started not only to build the sanctuary but also to build a whole city in the place.

However, the inclement conditions of the weather didn´t let it happen, therefore, he could only build a small sanctuary embbeded in the rock.

From 1904 to 1909 thousands of people peregrinated to the rock  begging for miracles to the Divine Shepherdess, this is the name of the virgin to whom the followers pray.

These peregrinations were suspended in 1909 since they were causing disorders in the local community, however, they started over again in 1986.

What Is Happening Now in La Piedra del Marial?

This beautiful hidden treasure is one of the places that are yet to be discovered by both local and international visitors.

Currently there are monthly peregrinations the first Saturday of every month, however, the main peregrination is the last Saturday of May.

Many of the neighbors of La Piedra del Marial are the ones in charge of taking care of this place, since the local government does not free up funds for its maintenance.

Once you get there you see hundreds of plates built by people whose prayers were heard. They show their gratitude by  placing them close to the virgin.

The second mystery is the constant flow of water coming down from inside the rock. According to the neighbors it has never stopped, despite dry seasons.

The view from the top is amazing. You can see the Guatape Rock, different types of green lands and a majestic lake.

Whether you are looking for a miracle or a natural wonder La Piedra del Marial is a great place to visit.

How To Get There?

We can take you there as a complementary activity of our Guatapé Rock Tour.

If you want to go by yourself, you just have to go to the North Bus Terminal, To get there you should take the Metro and get off in Caribe station.

Once in the bus terminal be sure you take a bus heading to El Peñol.

When you arrive in El Peñol you need to get off and then take a “chivero” to La Piedra del Marial.

The entrance is free, you can walk around freely and stay for as long as you want.

Please note that the Chiveros go on every hour and it is the only mean of transportation in that place.

Remember at Medellin Day Trips we are always willing to help you with any query you might have, so please do not hesitate to  contact us or read our FAQ section.

If you like our blog please share our articles or if you want us to write about an specific subject related to what to do in Medellin please comment or drop us message.

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Unveil El Cerro de los Valores, a unique real-life  story about overcoming war and violence with love, persistence and courage.

In Medellin Day Trips we have always been recognized by our customers for offering different tours and taking our guests to places that can´t be found by themselves or even other agencies.

Well… this place “El Cerro de los Valores” – Values Hill (in English) is one of them.

Cerro de los Valores Tragic Past

In the late 1990, this place was used for many years for the paramilitary rebels to fight against another party of paramilitaries, FARC and ELN guerrilla.

Since it was located in a strategical point due to its altitude and location, it was certainly a favorite place for battle.

Many were killed while others were held in captivity. Fire guns and weapons were also hidden in between the two hills where el Cerro was sitting: Picacho and Pan de Azucar.

The area was occupied by the Cacique Nutibara military front of the Paramilitary for more than 20 years, even before Pablo Escobar and Cartel of Medellin were wiped out.

In 2004, after many years of peace talks, the paramilitary finally gave up their weapons.

Those that opposed, were either killed or re-integrated into illegal forces.

Cerro de los Valores And Comuna 13: A Similar Past

In Comuna 13, where we offer the graffitour, they had a similar past in terms of the way the war affected them both.

However, there was a different situation with the demobilization of paramilitaries since they never volunteered to redeem themselves with a social project for the sake of the community.

Nevertheless, Comuna 13 is currently one of the most touristic places in Medellin, being actually one of the first destinations at our Medellin Day Trips agency.

Open air electrical escalators in Comuna 13, although not  added with a touristic purpose in mind, have helped promote the place and  bring a lot of tourism everyday, thanks to the support from the Government.

As you walk throughout this neighborhood you see hundreds of meaningful graffitis and breakdance and rap songs demonstrations in some of its corners.

Unlike Comuna 13, El Cerro de los Valores has barely received support from the government.

All the transformation in this place has been possible thanks to the persistence and courage of the social leaders (ex-paramilitaries) involved in it.

What do they do in El Cerro de los Valores?

Besides being a place where you can breathe peace, this place has everything to do with taking care of the environment.

Here is what they do:

• Dozens of beautiful figures made out of recycled materials

• Collect and transform the waste of more than 500 houses in their community to organic compost.
• Grow organic vegetables, fruits and plants to sell and give away to their community.
• Arrange original souvenirs like the tiny jeans used as planters.

Once you get there in around one hour you can go through all these processes.

What have they achieved?

They have received many awards for what they do. Among them 3 times the best Christmas lights in Medellin, 2 times the best environmental program and an international  recognition from Mexico for social inclusion.

But more than these awards the most precious achievement is to be able to prove to people and themselves that you can change the direction of your life.

The community that used to suffer with them, now loves them and admires them and that is the biggest recognition for the founders.

How to go to El Cerro de los Valores?

You can take the Metro and change lines in San Antonio station, then you should take the tram until the last station, then you take the cable car and get off in the first station.

From this station you have to walk heading down around 10 minutes.

Once you get there you need to call Joaquin Calle the leader of this social project and he can receive you and tour you around (in Spanish).

Bear in mind this place is included in our Build your own Tour section and Medellin Heroes/ Graffitour.

Cerro de los Valores Contact Information:

Joaquin Calle: 3113674246

Address: Calle 53 # 10 c – 63

email: [email protected] 

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As Colombians we have to admit that even though we have heard of Tejo all our lives most of us have never been in a Tejo court and or played it either.

Tejo is the Colombian national sport, but much more than that, it is a fun activity that can be played with relative ease by adults and kids alike.

About a week ago a group of guests who heard that Tejo was an activity worth trying wanted us to take them to a Tejo court.

So we used our connections to find out about Tejo courts in Medellin.

We arranged everything for our clients and headed there after going on our own half-day coffee tour with them (another must do in Medellin).

This place is a paradise embedded in the mountains, just 40 minutes away from the city with easy public transportation this is the best place to play Tejo in a magical environment.

After paying only 10.000 pesos (about $3USD) you get 4 mechas and 1 Tejo (the rock to throw).

How Should the Game Be Played?

The setup is pretty simple: there’s a wooden box (called a “pitch”) that’s 35” x 40” and filled with clay. In the middle of the pitch is a metal circle.

Here, four packets of gunpowder (called “mechas”) are arranged at the North, South, East and West points of the metal circle.

There’s also a backstop, but if you hit it when you throw any points that you receive are voided.

The goal is to throw your metal puck (called a Tejo) either onto one of the mechas so that it explodes against the metal ring. You score even more points if you land your tejo in the center of the ring.

You step up to the line, which is 60’ away from the pitch, and hope to nail a mecha. Here’s how the scoring works:

• If you’re the closest to the center circle, you get 1 point (called a “hand”)
• If you hit a mecha and it explodes, you get 3 points (“hit”)

• If you land your tejo in the center of the ring without exploding any mechas, you get 6 points (this is called a “bullseye”)
• If you land your tejo in the center of the ring and also hit a mecha that explodes, you get 9 points (this is called a “strike”)
  

Still not sure how it works? Watch Anthony Bourdain explaining it for CNN:

There are many reasons why this is a must-do in Medellin:

• It’s fun
• It’s authentic
• The atmosphere is great
• You work out your arms as you need to be tossing a 1-2 kg stone from 10-18 meters.

So if you are reading our What To Do In Medelling blog is because you are looking for activities and this is one you definitely want to do.

If you want to Play Tejo we offer an amazing combination of Tejo and Graffiti private tour that includes drinks or food, pick up & drop off at your place of stay.

In case you want us to drop you there after any tour please let us know and we´ll be happy to make it happen, and if you want us to play with you to see us fail at every throw (because we really suck at this) we can always cheer you up with our lack of skills.

Find below the contact details:

Restaurante El Gran Cacao

To set an appointment to play any day in the week please contact them through WhatsApp.

If you want to go there on a weekend then just show up there, they open from 10 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and from 9 am to 7 pm on Sundays,

If you want to know more about them check out their Instagram.

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Well, we are sure this place won’t  disappoint you.

La Morcilla de Estela is located in Sabaneta, which is the smallest city in Colombia but an amazing place to visit.

A Few Words On Sabaneta

Despite being small, Sabaneta has everything to offer. We love it because of its unusual mix of a tiny metropolitan city and a farmer’s town. Don’t be surprised if you happen to see horses going along the streets.

Like any typical little town, you will see the church and main square, fondas on every corner (traditional bars for farmers) and a very happy atmosphere especially at night.

Sabaneta has tall buildings and a modern appearance in certain areas. However the higher you go the more rural it gets. La Doctora is a place further enough to see mountains and enjoy a nice view. It is a hot spot for many restaurants and discos.

Getting To Restaurant La Morcilla De Estela

You can take a bus to go there from Sabaneta Metro station for only  $2.200 pesos or you can also take  Uber or a taxi. If you are driving, type in Waze app  “Restaurante Donde Estella” or look for the address at the end of this article.

Once you get there you notice that is always full. Although sometimes it can be difficult to get a table right away, just know that the waiting is totally worth it.

They only serve one dish “La Picada”. This is a combination of Morcilla (blood sausage), Chicharrón (pork skin) and Chorizo (pork sausage).

To just offer one dish and be such a successful business, La Picada must be absolutely delicious, don’t you think? This “very paisa” dish also contains patacon (fried flattened plantain) con hogao (a red kind of sauce made with tomatoes and onions) and arepa.

The conception of this restaurant was an accident. Back in 2002 “Doña Estella” the owner, started to cook the blood sausage (morcilla) for friends and her employers but thanks to the exquisite taste it became more popular as time went by. Word of mouth has made this place one of the most popular restaurants fro local people in Sabaneta.

The cost per person is around $15.000 pesos plus the soda. Nice atmosphere and great  food for about USD$5. Not to be missed!

So if you are wondering what to do in Medellin or where to eat traditional food away from the city,  this is the place you want to visit.

If you want to have this meal but served in a traditional local farm you can take our Food Tour in which besides this place you will get to try a lot more of our traditional food.

We strongly recommend an article/guide for foodie people from a lovely married couple that have traveled around the world trying traditional and exotic dishes (like the picada antioqueña) in different continents.They explain how to do it in the safest and most enjoyable way.

Address: Carrera 32 – 71 sur 126, Sabaneta, Antioquia

Phone number: 3013748.

If you like our blog please share our articles or if you want us to write about a specific subject related to what to do in Medellin please comment or drop us message in our Contact Us form.

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El Gran Cacao

This beautiful old colonial style house in the outskirts of Medellin, the restaurant El Gran Cacao (the big cocoa in case you wonder what does it mean) it´s a real hidden gem, only known by local people, they sell all kind of paisa typical food: beans, chicharron, Sancocho, bandeja paisa, beef, pork and chicken grilled meat, but what you definitive should try is the hot chocolate they sell (this is why they´re famous for).

It´s construction dates back to 1880 so it has colonial bricks everywhere known as Tapia in spanish that gives it an additional charm.

If you bring your family they also have a children´s area so they can have an awesome time there.

If you want you can also bring blankets to make a picnic in their large grass area

English menu: No

How to get there:

You have two options with public transportation:

1. Get off at Caribe station, walk down to bus terminal and then look for Belmira bus company,  buses depart every half hour from 7 am to 9 pm. The ticket is around $3.500.  The ride is about 1 hour long.
2. Get off at Niquia station (the last one), then take the metro bus heading to San Felix. The ticket is integrated with the Metro one which is around $3.500 (cheaper than option 1).  The ride is about 1:30 hour long.

We hope you can visit this wonderful place, surrounded by nature and with amazing food.

PS: if you go there try to go further in the main road for amazing landscapes, a nice stop for a dessert could be in Las Margaritas and try the Cuajuada con Melao in there.

Address: Km 18 Alto de San Felix, Bello, Antioquia, or you can find it in Waze as "EL Gran Cacao"

Phone: 3880705

If you like our blog please share our articles or if you want us to write about an specific subject related to what to do in Medellin please comment or drop us message in our Contact Us form.

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