History
Mampo (or Mompoj) was the local indigenous chieftain of the Quimbaya civilization (or Kimbaya) people when the Spanish arrived, and Mompox means "land of the ruler Mampo". The city was founded on May 3, 1537 by Don Alonso de Heredia as a safe port on the Magdalena. Santa Cruz de Mompox became quite prosperous as a port for the transportation of goods upriver into the interior. A royal mint was established here and the town was famous for its goldsmiths. This prosperity had begun to wane in the Nineteenth Century, but continued until early in the Twentieth Century when the river shifted and sediment accumulated on this arm of the river. At which point Magangué became the favored port.
| Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox | |
|---|---|
| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
| Country | Colombia |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv, v |
| Reference | 742 |
| UNESCO region | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1995 |
Read more about this topic: Santa Cruz De Mompox
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