We started this week just like we finished the previous one, that is, getting to know a beautiful place in Latin America. So, if the other day we showed you the beautiful Celeste River in Costa Rica, today we want to get closer to the impressive and ghostly Tequendama Falls in Colombia.
Located in the municipality of Soacha, Tequendama province of the Department of Cundinamarca, about 30 kilometers southwest of Bogotá, this tourist spot surprises with its imposing landscape. And we are talking about a waterfall of about 157 meters high formed by the waters of the Bogotá River that falls into a rocky abyss in a circular way. In addition, being located in a forested region with permanent fog, the landscape can be the most beautiful and spooky, especially if the legends about this corner of Colombia are taken into account. Do you want to know more details about the Tequendama Falls? Well join us!
The waterfall
According to a Muisca myth, an indigenous people that lived in the Cundiboyacense highlands and in the south of the Santander department of Colombia, the waterfall was formed thanks to divine action, which evacuated the waters that were flooding the Bogotá savannah. Some experts assure that this could have happened, and in a short period of time, although the gods had nothing to do with it. Apparently, the river bed sank, and the erosion and seepage of its channel caused the opening of a symmetrical hole in the rocks that became what is today the waterfall. It is a place of important historical value. In fact, it became part of the national coat of arms and has served as an inspiration for many poets, artists, and travelers.
Pollution
During the last decades, attempts have been made to reduce river pollution to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of the area. And it is that since it began to take advantage of its potential to generate electricity, its waters began to be polluted. In addition, these were channeled through pipes to maximize their electrical strength, which caused a decrease in flow. If we add to this the felling of trees in the surrounding forests, you can imagine the ecological disaster that has been experienced in the area. Luckily, the Fundación Granja Ecológica El Porvenir is trying to resuscitate the place. Among other feats, they have managed to reforest ten hectares of native forest, recover three sources of water and have planted native species such as cedar or walnut to recover the forest.
Hotel El Salto
We cannot say goodbye without first talking about the Hotel El Salto, located right in front of the waterfall, specifically on the edge of the cliff. Opened in 1924 and closed in 1990 due to pollution (although some say that no one wanted to stay here as it is a haunted place), the accommodation used to host important figures of the Colombian elite. Later it became a railway terminal and later a restaurant. Now, thanks to history buffs and the work of architects, this haunted place has been turned into a museum. Why do we say haunted? Well, apparently, many guests who passed through the hotel assured that they had seen ghosts in the surroundings, something that experts and believers in the paranormal see as normal, since many people have committed suicide in the falls throughout history .
Then we leave you with our gallery , where you can find more images of the Tequendama Falls and the hotel converted into a museum. Do not miss it!
