JARDIN BOTANICO SAN JORGE

Considered a Cultural, Historical, and Environmental Heritage of the city of Ibagué, La Granja San Jorge was declared a national monument by Resolution 799 of July 31, 1998, due to its significant historical, architectural, documentary, and environmental value. The construction of this two-story building, belonging to the Salesian community, dates back to the years between 1912 and 1954, under the guidance of Italian engineer Giovanni Buscaglioni, an experienced disciple of the Italian Salesian Father Ernesto Vespignani, who designed numerous buildings in South America. The brick construction of the farm stands out for the technique and aesthetics used in the proportions of the arches and columns, representing neoclassical elements. The building is organized around an open courtyard on one side, and the remaining corridors are adorned with semi-circular arches. The San Jorge Botanical Garden is located in the northwestern hills of the city of Ibagué, just five minutes from the city center, via Calambeo. The site preserves 60 hectares of experiential contact with nature, allowing communion with a rich sub-Andean natural forest teeming with floristic diversity, featuring over 1200 identified species.