Policarpa Salavarrieta was executed by firing squad in Bogotá in 1817 for her role as a spy for the revolutionary forces.
The house is located in Guaduas, a town designated as part of the 'Pueblos Patrimonio' (Heritage Towns) network of Colombia.
The museum collection includes authentic looms and traditional craft tools representative of the region's historical textile production.
The architectural style is characterized by heavy mud walls designed to regulate temperature in the varying climates of the Magdalena River valley route.
Despite her fame, very few primary documents exist from her childhood, making the house a key site for interpreting the context of her upbringing rather than documenting specific personal records.
The site commemorates her role as an essential intelligence gatherer who recruited local residents to the cause of Independence.
The House of Policarpa Salavarrieta is a colonial-era museum in Guaduas dedicated to the life and revolutionary legacy of Colombia's most famous female independence martyr, 'La Pola'. The structure serves as an authentic example of 18th-century Andean domestic architecture, featuring traditional rammed-earth walls and a tiled roof. Visitors walk through reconstructed rooms that display period-appropriate furniture, kitchen utensils, and historical artifacts relevant to the early 19th-century struggle against Spanish rule. As a National Monument, the house preserves the setting where Salavarrieta spent her early life before her espionage activities in Bogotá. The site functions as a cultural hub providing insight into the social hierarchy and daily living conditions of colonial Cundinamarca. The interior courtyard is a focal point for understanding the layout of local colonial-style homes.
The central interior courtyard, which offers the best lighting for capturing the colonial architectural details.
Combine your visit with a walk to the Piedra del Capitan, a nearby viewpoint used during colonial times.
Ask the museum staff specifically about the 19th-century kitchen layout to understand the domestic labor of the era.
Wear comfortable walking shoes, as Guaduas features steep, original cobblestone streets that can be slippery.
Do not attempt to drive directly to the entrance, as the surrounding streets are narrow, pedestrian-heavy, and often restricted.
Closed on Mondays for maintenance and staff rest.
Maintain a quiet volume; do not touch the displayed artifacts or period furniture.
