Ocana: Churches, Hiking Trail and Local History

When searching for hotels in Ocana, it can help to first decide what you would like to focus on during your trip. The historical and cultural topics range from the early design of the Catedral de Santa Ana and the history of the name of the Iglesia de San Agustín to a hiking route and a local tradition related to food history. This brings together a range of interests: the history of religious architecture, hiking along the Camino de Herradura, and a historical story about three trees.

Churches and architectural history

The first building of the Catedral de Santa Ana was a small structure with a thatched roof and no tower. It was built on a plot next to what is now Plaza Parque 29 de Mayo. These features give the early design a tangible scale: the focus is on its size, roofing and lack of a tower. The contrast between the name Catedral and this modest beginning is revealing. The focus is therefore on the building’s architectural details, not just its name.

The San Sebastián Hermitage offers a different perspective on the past. Construction began in 1596; today it is known as the Iglesia de San Agustín. The two names do not refer to two different churches, but connect the former and current names of the same building. The date places the start of construction in time, while the sequence of names provides different information. This distinction is useful for understanding its cultural history: the first building of the Catedral can be understood through its architectural features, while the construction date and name history are central to San Agustín. This makes it possible to consider the two churches from different perspectives without conflating their histories.

The Camino de Herradura

The Camino de Herradura adds a different kind of interest. The trail in Ocana is used for hiking and serves as an alternative route to the Santuario Nuestra Señora de las Gracias de Torcoroma. For planning, the connection between the activity and the destination is especially useful: you can consider the Camino as a hiking option and the sanctuary as the route’s point of reference. This topic differs from the architectural history of the two churches; the question here is how the route to the destination fits your travel interests.

A tradition related to local food history

According to local tradition, three trees arrived in Ocana from Costa Rica in 1942, after the writer Santiago Rizo Rodríguez sent them by river mail along the Río Magdalena. The story can be traced through its locations: Costa Rica as the place of origin, the Río Magdalena as the transport route, and Ocana as the destination. This gives it a different focus from the churches: the story centers on where the trees came from and how they were sent, rather than on architectural design or construction dates. It also belongs to local food history and connects it with a specific year and the writer’s name.

The two dates also serve different purposes: 1596 marks the start of construction of the San Sebastián Hermitage, while 1942 marks the story of the trees from Costa Rica. One year dates a building project; the other dates a shipment in a local story. This comparison helps distinguish architectural history from food history chronologically.

Discover more destinations: Chinacota, Pamplona, Villa del Rosario, Convencion, Cúcuta.

For the broader travel overview: Norte De Santander.