Artifacts found in Parque Arvi correspond to ancient Colombian indigenous communities and those from the colonial and republican eras. Photo credit: City of Medellín.

Medellín, Colombia’s Parque Arví, a prominent natural reserve and recreation space, has announced a significant financial turnaround, a surge in visitor numbers, and exciting new archaeological discoveries, according to the city mayor’s office. After experiencing a cumulative deficit of $2.463 billion Colombian pesos during the administration of previous mayor Daniel Quintero, now facing charges for corruption, the Corporación Parque Arví generated a surplus of $2.884 billion Colombian pesos in 2024. This financial recovery has enabled the park to address its budgetary shortfall and liabilities totaling $7 billion Colombian pesos.

The park attributes this positive shift to the reactivation of its tourism and socio-environmental initiatives during the second half of 2024. These efforts resulted in a $1.235 billion Colombian pesos increase in revenue compared to 2023, representing a 40% growth. This financial improvement has allowed the Parque Arví to continue its environmental management efforts within the Arví territory and the city. These initiatives include the intervention of 131 hectares of forests and green areas, encompassing the seven tutelary hills, the maintenance of 40,000 trees, the planting of an additional 2,000 trees, and the treatment of 62,000 kilograms of solid waste.

The current mayoral administration under Federico Gutierrez has been able to recover the fiscal deficit left by the previous mayor.

In the past year, Parque Arví welcomed 897,000 visitors, establishing itself as the most visited nature tourism destination in Medellín. This influx of visitors has reportedly generated $3 billion Colombian pesos in benefits for local businesses and facilitated the revival of events such as Mercado Arví, Arví Florece, the Gastronomic Festival, the Pre-Christmas Festival, and Christmas among Flowers.

Archaeologists discovered 17 structures, such as earth, stone, or mud walls. Photo credit: City of Medellín.

Óscar Andrés Cardona Cadavid, director of the Corporación Parque Arví, stated, “The Corporación Parque Arví is a city project that originated as a collaborative agreement between the public, private, and academic sectors. It is precisely through this synergy that we have achieved its recovery, generating a positive environmental and social impact for the communities of the Arví territory and serving the entire metropolitan area.”

Through its sustainability initiatives, the park has reached 15,132 individuals through environmental education programs, cultural and archaeological heritage dissemination, and the Sustainable Homes program, which has engaged 60 families in the territory.

New Archaeological Discoveries

In a recent development, experts have uncovered six new archaeological sites within El Parque Arví, covering a total area of 40,000 square meters. These sites are expected to become valuable resources for exploring and uncovering archaeological artifacts. For years, the area has yielded objects from indigenous cultures dating back over 2,000 years, as well as artifacts from the colonial and republican eras. The latest discoveries include 17 structures, such as earth, stone, or mud walls, providing insights into the lifestyles and spatial organization of communities that settled in the region after the arrival of the Spanish in 1541.

Stone tools and fragments of ceramic, pottery, and glass vessels, among others. Photo credit: City of Medellín.

Among the finds are fragments of ceramic vessels and other artifacts used for purposes like salt extraction, food preparation, and cooking by the ancient inhabitants. Researchers are currently analyzing samples of these pieces to determine their characteristics and mineral composition, as well as to identify the types of plants or elements used in the ancestors’ diets and to establish their age. Additionally, fragments of pottery, glass, and tiles have been recovered, offering further details about the artifacts used during that period. These findings are the result of collaborative contracts between EPM and Arví Park, as part of the area’s archaeological management plan. A notable outcome is the creation of an archaeological reference collection inventory, comprising over 16,000 pieces, along with a database documenting stone tools and fragments of ceramic, pottery, and glass vessels.

This work has helped to reveal the human impact on the landscape of Santa Elena, which remains concealed within the forest. The Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History designated this territory as a Protected Archaeological Area in 2019 and a Site of Cultural Interest of National Character in 1998.

Óscar Cardona Cadavid, director of Arví Park, encourages public engagement: “We invite the community, researchers, students, and those interested in history and archaeology to visit us, contact us on our social media, and arrange guided tours with our archaeologists. Learning about our culture, our history, and how the city’s first inhabitants lived is part of the essence of being here.”

The park’s public archaeology program has recently conducted 23 educational activities, including 20 archaeology workshops, aimed at informing the local community and visitors about the rich heritage preserved in Arví’s forests. These workshops cover topics such as archaeological methods, the history of the area, and significant findings. Additionally, three specialized seminars on archaeology and history will explore the geological and natural development of the Aburrá Valley and the Santa Elena plateau, as well as the transformation of the landscape by its early inhabitants. These educational initiatives have reached a total of 265 participants.

Fragments of ceramic vessels and other artifacts used for purposes such as salt extraction and food preparation and cooking by the ancient settlers were found. Photo credit: City of Medellín.

The Medellín Mayors Administration is inviting visitors to return to Arví Park to explore ancestral routes like the Camino de La Cuesta and La Laguna, among other sites that reveal historical traces.

Arví Park is open to the public from Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Guided and self-guided tours are available for those interested in learning about the archaeological finds and experiencing the park’s natural attractions.

Daniela Fleisman details Parque Arví’s diverse attractions and entertainment options

Daniela Fleisman, Deputy Director of Competitiveness and Tourism for Parque Arví talked to Finance Colombia’s Loren Moss during ANATO’s Vitrina Turistica tourism event, where she described the park as a 1,761-hectare (4,352 acres) natural reserve located in Santa Elena, near Medellín, accessible via a scenic cable car ride. “[Parque Arvi] is a natural reserve of 1,761 hectares. It’s located in Santa Elena. It’s near Medellin and we are connected by a cable car. So it’s very beautiful to arrive there. You can take the metro and you can arrive there in just half an hour from downtown Medellin.” She also notes that buses are available from Placita de Flores in downtown Medellín, with a journey time of approximately 40 minutes to one hour.

Fleisman highlights the diverse activities available at Parque Arví, including bike tours and hikes of varying lengths, catering to different fitness levels. “Okay, so daily, you can find bike tours where you can go around the park with an electric bike. So it’s for all kinds of members of the public. We also have different hikes and they are for different kinds of people. So we have hikes of 30 minutes, 40 minutes or 2 or 3 hours, whatever you want.” For those interested in local culture, trips to Silletera estates can be arranged, offering insights into the history and creation of silletas, which are flower arrangements.

Parque Arví and the surrounding area of Santa Elena offer a variety of dining options, from traditional to international cuisine, often accompanied by scenic views of the city. “Santa Elena is becoming like a trendy place. It’s a place where you could go and find different kinds of restaurants: typical restaurants, like more international, pizza, hamburgers, like all kinds of restaurants. And there are also some where you can find beautiful views from the city. So it’s like a whole-day plan.”

Fleisman also discussed the park’s participation in La Vitrina Turística, noting the strong interest from agencies and individuals in the park’s offerings. She emphasized the park’s diverse attractions, including culture, history, nature, and birdwatching. “[…] We are the second most visited place in Medellin right now. So we want to get to tell all the people everything that you can find there, like from culture, history, nature, birdwatching, everything.”

For more information about Parque Arví and its activities, Fleisman encourages people to follow the park on social media platforms (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok) under the handle @parquearvi. “So if you want to get to know a little bit more and know all the plans that we have, please follow us in every social network, @parquearvi on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, everywhere.” She also mentioned that the park offers plans and activities throughout the year, including events for Semana Santa, the mid-year vacation, the Fiesta de Silleteros, and Christmas.

Daniela Fleisman, Deputy Director of Competitiveness and Tourism of Parque Arvi. Photo credit: Loren Moss.

According to the course description, “Despite recent gains in democracy and economic growth in the region, it still lags behind advanced economies in Europe and Asia. These traits are linked to a shared past: indigenous legacies, colonial extraction, slavery, economies based on commodities, political fragmentation, conflicts fueled by the cold war, and authoritarian regimes and rebellions against them.”

It is an interdisciplinary course that encompasses the most recent contributions in economics, economic history, political science, archeology, and other fields. There will be ten 90-minute classes (with a short break) and ten plenary talks by invited experts, spread over ten weeks.

This is an open access course. All lectures and sessions will take place via zoom. All interested to participate need to register by the day the classes commence.

The course is aimed at advanced undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students in economics, political science, history, and sociology, interested in Latin America’s economic history, development, and political economy. The online course is also well-suited for professionals in international organizations, development agencies, non-governmental organization, and development finance institutions interested in how history shapes domestic policies, foreign aid, development finance, and international investment.

Interested participants may register here.