Agua de Dios: The History of Leprosy and Thermal Waters

Agua de Dios is shaped by the history of the exclusion of people with leprosy; at the same time, the municipality has seven museums, and fifteen properties have been declared historical and cultural heritage. Los Chorros offers a different focus: sulfur-rich thermal waters spring there. For planning your trip, historical remembrance and a nature-focused perspective on thermal waters are thus side by side.

The Story Behind the Puente de los Suspiros

The Puente de los Suspiros suspension bridge connects the municipalities of Agua de Dios and Tocaima. At the same time, it is associated with the history of excluding people with leprosy and separating them from their families. This creates a striking contrast: the bridge represents a connection between municipalities while also pointing to a past of social separation. As you explore the history of Agua de Dios, this connection leads from a specific structure to the experiences of the people and families affected by exclusion.

Museums and Social Memory

The municipality of Agua de Dios has seven museums. Two of them tell and illustrate the experiences of a society shaped by beliefs about the contagiousness of leprosy. The Museo de la Lepra is located in the Edificio Carrasquilla and is one of the seven museums. The Museo de la Hermana Ana María Lozano, the Museo Rural de Arte Rupestre, and the Museo Familiar Maná Dulce are also part of this group. This brings together a focus on social history and a wider selection of named museums. For those interested in culture, the perspective on social beliefs and their consequences is a particularly compelling way to get to know the municipality.

Historical and Cultural Heritage

Beyond the museums, fifteen properties in the municipality of Agua de Dios are part of its historical and cultural heritage: the Colombian Congress declared them as such under Law 1435 of 2011. This designation adds another form of cultural heritage to the story of the museums and the bridge. To get your bearings, it is worth considering the different points of interest: the named museums, the suspension bridge associated with the history of leprosy, and the group of properties declared historical and cultural heritage by Congress.

Los Chorros and the Thermal Waters

Los Chorros offers a different thematic focus. It is a bathing resort where sulfur-rich thermal waters spring up. Unlike the historical subjects, the focus here is on water and landscape. If you are interested in thermal springs as well as cultural history, Los Chorros belongs on your list as a topic in its own right. Before planning a visit, please check the current visiting options.

Choose a Focus for Your Trip

When looking for a vacation rental in Agua de Dios, you can start by asking what you want to focus on during your trip: will the history of leprosy, the museums, and the cultural heritage be at the center, or would you also like to include Los Chorros and its sulfur-rich thermal waters? This consideration connects your choice of accommodation with the nature of your stay, rather than making it separately from your interests. That way, you can tailor your search to the topics you would like to explore further.

Discover more destinations: El Ocaso, Simijacá, Cogua, La Verbena, Bojaca, La Florida, Cucunuba, Anapoima

For the broader travel overview: Cundinamarca.