Parque de Envigado

Envigado's main square is officially named Marceliano Vélez, after a 19th-century Antioquian politician. It has been the center of town since the Santa Gertrudis parish was founded in 1775, and it's still where people meet, sit on the benches and have a tinto (black coffee).

On the east side is the Santa Gertrudis church, white, with two towers and columns in front. Work began in 1859, stopped because of the 1860 civil war and was finished in 1897. Inside there's an organ brought from Barcelona that was first played in 1909.

Around it there are cafés, bakeries, banks and shops, and on the corners there are houses and buildings from several eras. In December the square fills with Christmas lights. A few blocks away is Casa Museo Otraparte, home of writer Fernando González.

What to see

• The Santa Gertrudis church and its main altar.
• The benches and trees of the square.
• The cafés and bakeries around it.
• The December lights.

Getting there

• Metro: Envigado station (Line A), then about a 15-minute walk east.
• Taxi or ride app: ask for the main square of Envigado or the Santa Gertrudis church.

Tips

• Go inside the church; the interior and the organ are worth it.
• Combine it with Casa Museo Otraparte, a few blocks away.
• Go on a December night if you want to see the lights.