Manizales, the revered "Nest of the Eagles," a name bestowed upon it by a war-weary public during the turbulent civil wars that plagued 19th century Colombia, given to it as it resisted countless sieges from liberal forces that came from the south. Founded in 1849, this city has swiftly emerged as a vital economic hub, standing proudly at the heart of the Caldas department and serving as its capital since 1905 when the department was first founded. In the past decade, Manizales has undergone notable transformations, shedding its old architectural and cultural skin to embrace a new identity. Once a city centered around a church, it has evolved into a sprawling landscape of factories, concrete structures, and fortified enclaves that dominate the urban panorama.

Unlike its fortunes in the previous century, Manizales found itself entangled in a web of shifting allegiances during the dark era of La Violencia. Conservative and fascist militias first occupied the city, only to face fierce opposition from the National Army. The conflict raged until the 1956 ceasefire, leaving Manizales hanging in the balance. While it seemed destined to fall under the iron grip of the Fascist Party, fate took a different turn. Internal power struggles between the Supreme Economic Council, which wielded considerable control over the city and the department, and the National Fascist Party created a jurisdictional vacuum. Seizing the opportunity, the heroic José Joaquín Matallana, leading the National Army, orchestrated a daring incursion in early 1960, swiftly occupying Manizales and the entirety of Caldas. And such has been Manizales' fate, trapped in the frontlines of a seemingly endless war.