Ibagué, capital of Colombia's Tolima department, was founded in 1550 by the Spanish captain Andrés López de Galarza and ranks among South America's oldest cities. At its center stands the Cathedral of Ibagué, also known as the Cathedral Primada Inmaculada Concepción de Ibagué, one of the city's most important historic monuments. The city lies in the Central Andes, in the shadow of the snow-capped volcanic peaks of the Nevado del Tolima and the Los Nevados range, on the historic route between Bogotá and the Cauca valley. It is known throughout the country as Colombia's musical capital, home to a long-established conservatory and to a national folk music festival that fills its streets and squares each year.
