Ruins always attract tourists with their mysterious air and endless stories that they can tell. The ruins of the Historic Church of Cúcuta, famous as the Church of the Holy Rosary, can tell you a lot. The building, whose walls and dome are the only things that have survived until now, saw how the history of several countries was made.

The temple is beautiful, even the way it is. It hasn’t lost any of its greatness. Thanks to the restored dome, it may seem to you that it is in a good state if you are at a distance from the building. The Church of the Holy Rosary is a small one. It was built of red brick at the beginning of the 19th century. After 75 years, one of the earthquakes blew it to smithereens. The temple was restored but not completely. Only the dome and the outer wall were rebuilt. Several marble statues, one belonging to Simón Bolívar, and memorial tablets were preserved inside. The square in front of the outer wall hosted some structures, but ruthless nature destroyed them all, leaving only the column pedestals.

This place near Cúcuta isn’t only beautiful but historically significant too. In 1821, the fates of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, Guyana, Brazil, and several regions of Peru were decided here. All these countries were united into one, Gran Colombia. Then, the congress of Cúcuta, headed by Simón Bolívar, accepted the first constitution of the country. The goal of the congress was to create a powerful state and expulse Spanish from America.

This half-ruined church is a valuable reminder of the origins of political life in Colombia. You will like it here if you are fond of history or are a nature-lover. The views here are splendid: great shots can be made with the ruins as the background, especially at sunset when the sky is almost melted with the red brick of the church. It is a stunner.

To get to the temple, you don’t have to buy a tour or join a group. A regular bus from Cúcuta can take you here. Twenty minutes on the road, and here you are.