Mosquera: Railway History, Heritage and Wetlands

Mosquera can be explored through two very different sides: traces of its railway past in the town center and the wetlands of nearby Laguna de la Herrera. There is also rock art, historic buildings and cultural venues. As you plan your trip, a helpful question to consider is what interests you most: would you like to focus on Mosquera’s local history, or are you especially interested in the landscape and surrounding area? The different themes can help guide your choice without prescribing a fixed itinerary.

Wetlands and Rock Art Nearby

Humedal Laguna de la Herrera is in Vereda Balsillas, 7.2 kilometers from Mosquera. It serves as a water reservoir and habitat for a variety of animal and plant species, including purple gallinules, herons, sirirí flycatchers and Canada geese. Its approximate length is described as 4.5 kilometers. A 2016 municipal tourism plan states that the CAR declared the wetland a water reserve in 2006 and that it received an environmental management plan in 2009. Alongside its ecological role, these facts give this natural area a documented conservation history.

Rocas de Usca is also in Vereda Balsillas, 7.2 kilometers south of Mosquera on the northern slope of the Cerros de Usca. It features rock art made by the Indigenous Muisca; around 28 or more pictographs have been documented. This information is based on a 2016 municipal tourism plan. The rock art offers a distinct focus for your interests, connecting the nearby landscape with a cultural trace of the Muisca. These places represent different nature and culture themes that you can consider separately or together as you plan.

Local History in the Centro Histórico

The Centro Histórico comprises 16 blocks in the town center. Its architecture and importance to the development of the town layout give it historical value. If you are interested in how Mosquera’s town structure has evolved, this offers a different way to experience the destination than the wetlands: the focus is on the blocks and their role in shaping the appearance of the center.

Iglesia María Auxiliadora is also in the Centro Histórico. It is considered architectural heritage and features interior friezes, stained-glass windows and artworks. The former railway station is likewise in the center. A description in a 2016 municipal tourism plan connects it to the railway system that passed through the town in 1889 and carried residents to and from the Sabana de Bogotá. The station is recognized as heritage linked to this history. The plan also lists the station as the Casa de la Cultura and describes its cultural role: fostering culture, art and various forms of cultural expression. This brings the history of transportation and a cultural theme together in one place.

Cultural Events and the Right Travel Perspective

Parque Cultural in Mosquera offers another cultural perspective. A 2016 municipal tourism plan describes its facilities as venues for business, academic, entertainment, leisure and educational events. The plan lists August as the month of the Festival Internacional de Teatro “MOSQUERA LA CIUDAD TEATRAL.” The program described includes national and international stage productions, indoor and street theater, contemporary dance and circus. The timing and program come from this 2016 description.

When choosing your vacation rental, you can first consider which theme you would like your trip to focus on: the historic town center and its railway and architectural history, the cultural venues, or the nature and rock art nearby. The local cultural sites are located in the center or the Centro Histórico; the two nature destinations are in Vereda Balsillas. These differences can help you choose how to experience Mosquera based on your interests, without assuming a particular accommodation location or connections between the places.

Discover more destinations: Tocancipa, Choachí, Suesca, Casablanca, Anolaima, Susa, Camargo, Vergara.

For the broader travel overview: Cundinamarca.