Living in a town with steep hills can be inconvenient. Walking becomes that extra bit more tiring and getting your shopping home is a real slog. But in one neighbourhood, the climbs were once so brutal it rendered the area one of the most dangerous places in the world.
Like many neighbourhoods in Medellin, Colombia, Comuna Trece, also known as Comuna 13, was a terrifying area to live from the 1970s to the early-90s thanks to the influence of Pablo Escobar and other drug lords. Traffickers from narco gangs ruled the streets, and it was common for locals to get caught in the crossfire between rival gangs and guerrilla groups, the police, and the army. Medellin was the murder capital of the world during this time, and Comuna Trece one of its most deadly neighbourhoods.
But it wasn’t just drug trafficking that led to the neighbourhood becoming a danger zone. Comuna Trece sits on a hill so steep that vehicles cannot access it, meaning locals had to climb the equivalent of 28 storeys to get home. This meant people avoided visiting other neighborhoods or going into the centre of Medellin to find work, essentially cutting off the area from the outside world.
This isolation meant the neighbourhood became a slum, with few career prospects for residents and little connection with the outside world. However, a radical plan was launched to improve the neighbourhood by opening it up, and the unusual idea involved a series of escalators built into the steep hillsides.
In 2011, the city unveiled a series of free outdoor escalators, spanning 385 meters in six sections, which connected Comuna Trece to San Javier, where a metro station and buses would allow residents to get around Medellin.
What was once a gruelling climb up narrow winding roads, taking as long as 30 minutes even for the able-bodied, is now a simple trip up some escalators to get back home. If you’re not in a hurry, you can stop off at each section to enjoy attractions from colourful street art to viewpoints that look across Medellin.
Some of the escalators are covered, while others are left open, allowing you to see across the city and enjoy mountain views. This has also had the effect of turning the escalators into a tourist attraction, and nowadays you’ll often see people filming their ride, alongside locals on their way home.
Comuna Trece is now considered safe for tourists to visit, although they should take the same precautions as anywhere else against petty crimes like pickpocketing. Tours are also available, where you can learn about the area’s history, sample vibrant street food, and enjoy outdoor performances by local hip-hop artists.
Many guides also offer walking tours of the area where you can see some of its impressive street art, and at night, you can join a group to visit local bars, including rooftop establishments, where you’ll get some of the best views of Medellin.
Medellin is becoming a popular city for international tourists, especially those from the USA. Many visit due to its connection with Pablo Escobar, and there are lots of tours that lean heavily into this dark part of history, offering everything from tours visiting his former homes to trips to his grave.
Plaza Botero and the Museo de Antioquia both focus on one of Colombia’s most iconic artists, Fernando Botero, and you can see some of his public sculptures, as well as explore galleries featuring his distinctive art, which is characterised by colourful, chubby caricatures.
Casa de la Memoria – the Memory House – is also a must-visit. It offers an open and honest look at the country’s past struggles, from wars to urban conflicts, and serves as a memorial to those lost in addition to offering a fascinating look at Medellin’s history.
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