Hato Viejo: Railway History and Culture

In Hato Viejo, the history of the railway station on the Cartagena–Calamar line, an annual patron saint festival, and cultural expressions come together. These topics offer different ways to explore the town’s history: you can trace the development of a railway station, take 20 January into account as the festival date, or learn about Bullerengue, Pajarito, and Chande. If you are looking for a holiday rental, distinguishing between these interests can help you decide on the purpose of your trip and suitable travel dates first.

A station with several historical phases

The station in the corregimiento of Hatoviejo, in the municipality of Calamar, was an intermediate station on the railway line between Cartagena and Calamar and dates from 1928. This places the station within a specific connection; the term “intermediate station” describes its role on the line.

When the Cartagena–Calamar railway line was closed in 1951, the station ceased to operate as a railway station. The building was subsequently used as the headquarters of the Hatoviejo corregimiento police station. The dates refer to different periods: 1928 belongs to the station’s history, 1951 marks the end of railway operations, and the police station was its subsequent use. This makes it possible to distinguish the change in function over time from the building’s original role as a railway station.

Its later heritage designation

A further, later designation concerns the station’s heritage status. Since Decree 746 of 1996, it has been part of the national collection of Bienes de Interés Cultural. Law 397 of 1997 equates this category with the category of Bien de Interés Cultural. The decree and the law thus relate to different aspects: inclusion in the national collection and the equivalence of the category. These years describe a heritage-related designation and should be distinguished from the dates relating to the station’s origins and railway operations.

The patron saint festival and cultural traditions

The religious patron saint festival in honour of Saint Sebastian is celebrated every year on 20 January in the Hatoviejo corregimiento. This recurring calendar date is different from the historical dates relating to the station and provides a specific point of reference for planning your trip.

Bullerengue, Pajarito, and Chande are also associated with Hato Viejo as cultural expressions. Together with the patron saint festival, they offer different cultural points of reference: the festival takes place on a specific day, while the three expressions represent a broader cultural connection.

When looking for a holiday rental in Hato Viejo, you can match these interests to your travel dates. If the patron saint festival is your main focus, plan your trip around 20 January and check the latest event information in advance. If you are more interested in railway and cultural history, you can instead plan your stay according to your own schedule.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Manzanillo, Cartagena, Coco, La Boquilla, El Salado, Puerto Tierrabaja, Mozambique, Mompós

For the broader travel overview: Bolívar.