Don Matías: Views and Local History

Don Matías combines a lookout point with insights into local and industrial history, as well as distinctive buildings. From Cerro Cristo Rey, you can look out over the entire town and part of its rural area. The Casa Museo Luis López de Mesa illustrates the development of the local clothing industry; the Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Rosario and three historic bridges add further architectural highlights. These themes offer different starting points for deciding what to focus on during your stay.

Views from Cerro Cristo Rey

At Cerro Cristo Rey, a path of approximately 240 steps leads to a level summit area of 585 m². From there, the 360° panorama extends over the entire town of Don Matías and part of its rural area. The step count refers to the path, while the area measurement refers to the level summit area.

At Cristo Rey, the focus is on views of the town and its rural surroundings, unlike at the museums and architectural landmarks. If you plan to take the path, check the current access conditions in advance.

Museums covering local and industrial history

Casa Museo Luis López de Mesa is located in the town center. It displays a collection of clothing-making machines that illustrates the development of the local clothing industry. There are also two permanent exhibition rooms: one covers the history of Don Matías, and the other the garment-making process. Here, you can learn about both local history and a specific local industry.

Two additional rooms are reserved for temporary exhibitions, so their program may change. If you plan to visit these rooms, check in advance which exhibition is currently on display.

Church architecture and a photography museum

The Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Rosario is located in Don Matías’s main park. Its main façade has two towers with octagonal floor plans; the second floor houses a photography museum about the church’s construction history. The towers describe the shape of the façade, while the photography museum covers the history of the church’s construction. If you would like to visit the photography museum, check the current access conditions in advance.

Historic bridges

Don Matías’s architectural heritage includes three bridges in the Republican style, dating from the late 19th century: Puente de los Leones, also called Puente de Bolívar, Puente Santander, and Puente Zea. Puente de Bolívar is another name for Puente de los Leones and does not refer to a fourth structure. Their style and period group the three bridges together; by contrast, the towers and photography museum are the specific architectural and historical points of interest at the Parroquia. This allows you to distinguish between a group of bridges sharing a stylistic designation and the features of a single church building.

Discover more destinations: San Rafael, Corozal, El Roble, La Unión, Puerto Viejo, Sincelejo, El Zapote, Rincón

For the main travel overview: Sucre.