History of Quibdó

Quibdó’s history is largely uncharted except for a few mentions thanks to the work of Fray Matias Abbot in 1648, when the Franciscan order was granted the lands in the area by Embera Indians.

While the city was destroyed under subsequent attacks by hostile tribes, it was rebuilt in 1654 under the watch of the Jesuits Pedro Caceres and Francisco de Orta. Later, Quibdó declared its independence in February of 1813, and in 1825, the city was officially named San Francisco de Quibdó.

When the department of Chocó was created in 1948, Quibdó was named its capital. In 1966, the city was ravaged by fire. Currently, it is better known as being in the heart of the Zona Roja (Red Zone), and for suffering from malaria and poverty.