#22 Ibagué
The musical capital of Columbia lies at 1285 metres in the Colombian Andes, in a valley formerly known as ‘Valley of Spears’.
Namely the instruments with which Pijao Indians tried to repel Spanish incursion, for fifty plus years of desperate warfare. It took exhaustive effort and an especially cruel Conquistador to finish the job and establish the city, a relatively insignificant outpost for the next hundreds of years. The opening of a commercial route and coffee plantations triggered Ibagué’s eventual rise to the current cultural hub it has become: a popular destination for Columbians and tourists alike. Its renowned Conservatory, countless festivals and tropical climate tempered by its elevation attract visitors year-round. It proudly preserves folk traditions of the vast country, a sample of which arrives to Veszprém through InterUrban’s dance and music performances.
