Colombia - Cultural Landscape of the Vernacular Stilt Housing of Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta and of Medio Atrato

Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta is located in the northern part of the country, on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Magdalena river. It was declared a Ramsar Site, as it is one of the ecosystems with main ecological significance in the country. It is made up by a group of marshes and a network of creeks and rivers; it is the largest lacustrine complex in Colombia, with an area of 4,280 Km2, from which 730 km2 are water surface. The lacustrine towns of Bocas de Aracataca or Trojas de Cataca (township of the municipality of Pueblo Viejo), Buenavista and Nueva Venecia, also known as “El Morro” (the latter located on the jurisdiction of the municipality of Sitionuevo) were located on Cienaga de Pajaral marsh and the Cienaga Grande itself since the mid XIX century.