Popayán, Colonial city in Cauca Department, Colombia
Popayán is a colonial city in Cauca Department, Colombia, sitting at 1,760 meters (5,774 feet) elevation between two mountain ranges. The old center shows low buildings with whitewashed walls, terracotta roofs, and wrought-iron window grilles along cobbled streets around central plazas.
Sebastián de Belalcázar founded the settlement in 1537 as a stopover on trade routes moving gold and raw materials northward. Earthquakes in the 18th and 20th centuries damaged much of the building stock, yet reconstruction efforts restored many structures in their original style.
Locals call it the White City because of the pale facades that line the old center, where balconies and courtyards create a calm streetscape. Residents uphold traditions visible during Holy Week processions, when decorated floats pass through narrow streets under evening light.
Flights from Guillermo León Valencia Airport to Bogotá take about one hour and allow connections to other parts of the country. The Pan-American Highway runs through the urban area and links the center to towns southward and northward.
The pre-Columbian pyramid El Morro del Tulcán stands on the city edge and shows construction by a culture that abandoned the site before Spanish conquerors arrived. Archaeologists believe high-ranking individuals were buried there, yet many details about the builders remain unclear.
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