Nutibara Hill () is a rocky hill formation located in the Colombian city of Medellin, in the geographic center of the

Aburrá Valley Aburrá Valley (in Spanish ''Valle de Aburrá''), is the natural river basin of the Medellín River and one of the most populous valleys of Colombia in its Andean Region with near 4 million inhabitants in its biggest urban agglomeration: The M ...

and on the west bank of the

Medellín River The Medellín River (), called Porce River () during most of its course, is a river that flows through the Colombian city of Medellín and its metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban a ...

. It is one of the few ecosystems that is conserved in Medellín and is considered one of the city's seven "guardian" hills. The hill has a

sculpture park A sculpture garden or sculpture park is an outdoor garden or park which includes the presentation of sculpture, usually several permanently sited works in durable materials in landscaped surroundings. A sculpture garden may be private, owned by a ...

, the open-air Carlos Vieco Auditorium, and the ''Pueblito Paisa'' a reproduction of the traditional Colombian township, amongst other sights. The hill is 80 meters tall and has an area of 333,300 m². It is named after the indigenous Chief Nutibara. Initially with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, the hill was called "Marcela of the Parra Hill", and then "Cadavides Hill". Finally, it was renamed Nutibara, which remains its name today.

History

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when Medellín was known as the ''Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria'' on the banks of the Santa Elena, Nutibara hill was not a part of the landscape of this small town. At that time it was identified as the "Marcela Hill of the Vine", the name of the owner of these once-remote lands on the other side of the Medellín River. With this name it was identified until a family named Cadavid, became its new owner, acquiring the name "Hills of the Cadavides". It was known as such for two years after the Municipality of Medellín bought it in 1927 for the cost of $50,000 pesos. It was bought in order to create a recreational park, preserving its ecological characteristics, for a city that continued to grow. In 1929 the Society of Public Improvements (, SMP), proposed to the City Council to rename the hill, making it less private and more public but at the time identified with the region. While the first initiative to find the new name was to open a contest, finally the members of the Board of the SMP chose the new name. With the choice of the name "Nutibara", SMP wanted to pay homage to one of the richest and most powerful of the

cacique A cacique, sometimes spelled as cazique (; ; feminine form: ), was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European cont ...

s of the

department of Antioquia Antioquia () is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part ...

, whose dominions extended over most of the West. After the name change in 1930, the Municipality authorized the Society of Public Improvements to work on the preparation of drawings and plans for the construction of a recreational park on the hill. A plan was approved in 1939, which included the design and construction of internal and external roads for easy access,

gazebo A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal or Gun turret, turret-shaped, often built in a park, garden, or spacious public area. Some are used on occasions as bandstands. In British English, the word is also used for a tent-like can ...

s, kiosks, planting trees, parking, lakes, waterfalls, rustic bridges, footpaths, approved viewpoints and a restaurant at the top.

Attractions

Pueblito Paisa

At its summit is the ''Pueblito Paisa'', a reproduction of the municipalities of the

Paisa region A Paisa is someone from a region in the northwest of Colombia, including part of the West and Central ''cordilleras'' of the Andes in Colombia. The Paisa region is formed by the departments of Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío. ...

built in 1977.

Sculpture Park

The sculpture park created in 1983 at the initiative of former Colombian President

Belisario Betancur Cuartas Belisario Betancur Cuartas (4 February 1923 – 7 December 2018) was a Colombian politician who served as the 26th President of Colombia from 1982 to 1986. He was a member of the Colombian Conservative Party. His presidency was noted for its at ...

. The

Medellín Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art of Medellín (MAMM, Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín) is a museum of modern art in the Colombian city of Medellín. It was founded in 1978. Many artworks by Débora Arango, who was born in Medellín, are part of the ...

coordinated the installation of a permanent exhibition of sculptures made by 10 national and international artists installed in the natural environment of the hill. The first monumental sculpture that was made especially to decorate Nutibara was the Madremonte, by José Horacio Betancur in 1953. Since its delivery, Madremonte was exposed early in the House of Culture, and then the Nutibara hill, until March 27, 1986, when it was moved to the Botanical Garden of Medellín in exchange for sculpture Cacique Nutibara, also by Betancur.

Carlos Vieco Theater

Teatro al Aire Libre Carlos Vieco-Medellin

The open-air Carlos Vieco Theater is located on the northern slope of Nutibara Hill. It opened in 1984 and was designed by architect Oscar Mesa. The theater has a capacity of 3,800 spectators. It is named in honor of the Colombian composer Carlos Vieco Ortiz, who was born in Medellín. It offers all kinds of popular shows. Every year in June, the theater becomes the epicenter of the

concert A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...

s of the International Poetry Festival. There are also frequent rock concerts, like the Altavoz Festival.

Gallery

File:Cerro Nutibara-Navidad 2006-Medellin(1).JPG, Nutibara during the

Christmas lighting of Medellín Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chris ...

File:Cacique Nutibara-obra de Jose Horacio Betancur.JPG, Cacique Sculpture File:Pueblopaisa01.jpg, Stairs leading to church File:Pueblopaisa03.jpg, Pueblito Paisa in Nutibara Hill File:Pueblopaisa04.jpg, Detail of House and Street Lamp File:Pueblopaisacaciquenutibaramonument01.jpg, Statue of Cacique Nutibara and wife File:Pueblopaisamedellincitydiorama01.jpg, General view of Diorama of City of Medellin File:Pueblopaisamedellincitydiorama02.jpg, View of City of Medellin Diorama File:Pueblopaisamuseumart01.jpg, Artwork - Green man File:Pueblopaisamuseumart02.jpg, Artwork - Man in red and yellow halo File:Pueblopaisamuseumart03.jpg, Artwork - Abstract woman in flowery dress File:Pueblopaisamuseumart04.jpg, Artwork - Man pulling cart File:Pueblopaisamuseumart06.jpg, Artwork - Cacique Nutibara mural File:Pueblopaisamuseumart07.jpg, Artwork - Tucans mural File:Pueblopaisasouvenirstand01.jpg, Souvenir Stand

References

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