Giron

About

In 1631, the Spanish crown granted famed “indian hunter” Francisco Mantilla license to found Giron if he cleared the surrounding area of natives. The town was plagued by difficulties, ranging from encroaching on another property, to locusts and disease, and was forced it to relocate multiple times. Finally, in 1638, the Mantillas found a permanent home for Giron, and much of the town’s historic center has remained unchanged since this time. The towering church overlooking the main square is one of the more recent buildings, dating from 1875 when the original building was destroyed by an earthquake. Also on the main square is the Mansión del Fraile, where Colombia’s independence was ratified. If you get hungry from exploring the town, stop for the local speciality: fritanga, which is basically a heaping pile of meat.