History of Casa de Nariño

In a house on this spot in 1764, Antonio Amador José de Nariño y Álvarez del Casal – later the champion of the independence movement in the then state of New Granada and translator of human rights laws – was born. The original building was partially destroyed in the 1827 earthquake that shook Bogota: Simon Bolivar decided to authorise the purchase of the remains. In 1885, the then President Rafael Núñez purchased the house with the aim of creating a presidential palace: the site was well located and politically and historically important.

The property was used on and off by politicians until the start of the 20th century, when General Rafael Reyes decided to commission the French architect Gaston Lelarge and Colombian architect Julián Lombana to work on the house, and they transformed it into a neoclassical building and it officially became the seat of government once more. Various other extensions and changes were made throughout the 20th century: the building was attacked in the El Bogotazo riots in 1948, but has largely  stayed the same since the late 1970s.

Casa de Nariño today

The interior of the palace covers a wide variety of styles and tastes: particular highlights of the collection include the Pasillo de las Banderas (Hall of Flags), paintings of all of Colombia’s presidents, Simon Bolivar’s trunks (used to carry key war documents), works of art by prominent Colombian artists such as Fernando Botero, Andres de Santa Maria and Alejandro Obregon and various Louis XV furnishings.

It is possible to visit to Casa de Nariño: admission must be pre-booked and is by guided tour only is by pre-booked tour only (free, English and Spanish tours available), and visitors are thoroughly searched by security guards before entrance. It is best not to loiter around the grounds of the palace as security is tight.

Getting to Casa de Nariño

Casa de Nariño is located in the central La Candelaria district in Bogota. It is easily accessible on foot from other major sites in Bogota, and is adjacent to the Plaza de Bolivar.

History of Quinta de Bolivar

The site at Quinta de Bolivar dates back to 1670, when the conquistador Pedro de Valenzuela donated the land to the religious order at Monserrate. In 1800, the then chaplain sold the land to José Antonio Portocarrero, a Spanish merchant who had a country house (hacienda) built there.

The family owned the house until 1820, when the government of New Granada decided to give it to Simon Bolivar in gratitude for his services to the independence movement. He stayed there multiple times between 1820 and 1830: the house was a place of refuge from tense political situations and later his long term mistress and fellow revolutionary, Manuelita Sáenz, made sure the house also hosted lively social and political events. In 1830, Bolivar was forced to resign, and left Bogota for Cartagena, planning to set sail to exile in Europe from there: he died before he could set sail.

The house changed hands multiple times following Bolivar’s death, and was used as a private residence, brewery, tannery, psychiatric institution and girls’ school respectively. In 1919, organisations in Bogota set up a major fundraising campaign to buy the house as a national monument: they were successful, and the house became a museum focused around the life and work of Simon Bolivar and the 19th century independence movement.

In 1974, a guerilla from the M-19 movement stole Bolivar’s sword from the museum, leaving a note reading ‘Bolivar, your sword returns to the battlefield’. 27 years later, in 1991, the sword was returned to the museum as part of peace negotiations, and remains on display today.

Casa Museo Quinta de Bolivar today

Today, the house operates as a museum, housing just over 3000 items associated with Bolivar, and it is designed to be evocative of how it might have looked in Bolivar’s time: many of these objects have been donated since the museum was founded.

The museum also runs temporary special exhibitions, often exploring particular aspects of the revolutionary movement or Bolivar: these are worth exploring should you have the time.

Getting to Casa Museo Quinta de Bolivar

The museum is relatively easy to reach: it is located between the popular historic La Candelaria district and the bottom of Cerro de Monserrate, on Calle 21. The TransMilenio stop ‘Las Aguas’ is a short walk away, otherwise it is easily accessible on foot from La Candelaria or by taxi.

History of Cerro de Monserrate

Muisca people have lived on the Bogota savannah, and Cerro de Monserrate proved an important marker in the solar calendar as on the Summer Solstice, the sun rises from exactly behind Monserrate. When the Spanish arrived they razed Muisca buildings, replacing them with colonial building.

In the early 17th century, they began to climb Monserrate and perform religious ceremonies atop the hill: it quickly became a site associated with pilgrimage and devotion.

In 1650, permission was granted to building a hermitage atop the mountain, and a statue of the crucifixion was also commissioned. The Christ figure and cross ended up being displayed separately – the Christ gained the name El Señor Caído as a result.

By the 19th century, the site had become extremely popular, with dozens of pilgrims arriving each year to pay their respects and petition the statue for miracles.

Cerro de Monserrate today

The shrine to El Señor Caído  remains a place of devotion for pilgrims atop the mountain (apparently miracles have been attributed to it), and the church complex is of interest to visitors. There are also restaurants, cafes and toilet facilities atop the mountain, as well as plenty of vistas for photos.

The view from the top remains unparalleled, and sunset or sunrise is a great time to go. The pollution in and around Bogota can obscure your view so it’s worth checking the air quality on the day you go and choosing a sunny day.

There are three ways of climbing the mountain today: via cable car, furnicular or foot, but be warned, the altitude makes the 2.5km climb tougher than it should be, so give yourself plenty of time. The mountain is particularly busy on Sundays as pilgrims make the ascent to reach the church on top. There have been reports of robberies on the trail, so it’s worth watching your belongings.

Getting to Cerro de Monserrate

There are three ways of climbing the mountain today: via cable car, furnicular or foot, but be warned, the altitude makes the 2.5km climb tougher than it should be, so give yourself plenty of time. The mountain is particularly busy on Sundays as pilgrims make the ascent to reach the church on top. There have been reports of robberies on the trail, so it’s worth watching your belongings.

The start of the trail is easily walkable from La Candelaria and is a slightly longer walk from the nearest TransMilenio stops, Calle 19 and Avenida Jiminez. The entrance to the trail and the furnicular/cable car are all clearly signed. There are plenty of taxis in the area.

History of Ciudad Perdida

Thought to date to at least the 8th century AD, Ciudad Perdida was one of a number of settlements built by the Tayrona Indians, who inhabited the area now known as Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Located high in the mountains, it is unclear exactly how long the site was inhabited for, though it’s believed Ciudad Perdida was abandoned to the jungle around the time of the Spanish conquest.

Local tribes knew of the city’s existence and visited regularly, following the city’s abandonment. Reportedly they gave the Spanish gifts of gold in order to appease them, although this didn’t work: several items made from this gold can be seen in museums across Colombia today.

In 1972 the site was discovered by looters who began collecting artefacts from the area and selling them on the black market. This in turn led to archaeologists exploring the region and Ciudad Perdida was uncovered officially in 1976. Major excavation works took place for the following 6 years in order to uncover more of the site. .

Ciudad Perdida today

Remote yet spectacular, Ciudad Perdida is high on many travellers’ lists of things to see in Colombia. The mystery, atmosphere and views from the site are all spectacular, and well worth the effort it takes to get here. You’ll want to be one of the first groups here in the day to really get a feel for it (and to take the best photos). Guides and translators do a good job at bringing the site’s history to life: although it’s been excavated and cleared to reveal a number of raised stone and earth platforms built atop high mountain peaks, it can be hard to picture what life here must have been like.

The remaining structures include the ruins of houses, paths, staircases, storehouses, canals and communal areas as well as remains thought to have a ceremonial purpose.

Native peoples still live in this area, and after kidnappings in the early 2000s the site has military posts – don’t be surprised if you spot men in uniform and holding guns who look somewhat out of place when you get there.

It’s worth also remembering the site is under threat from over-tourism. Whilst it’s a major draw for the area, and a means of livelihood for local communities, the dramatic increase in the number of visitors puts the site’s long term future at risk.

Getting to Ciudad Perdida

Ciudad Perdida is not for the faint hearted: you can only access the site via a guided four day trek (or longer if you want to go at a slower pace) through the jungle. It’s an experience in itself, but it’s steep terrain and hot: ask to start as soon as it gets light to avoid hiking in the worst of the jungle heat, pack lightly, and honestly assess your fitness before starting. It’s not glamorous, but it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.

Most treks depart from the nearby town of Santa Marta – several tour operators will offer their services and its worth doing some research about the quality of their guides and what they offer.

History of the Estatua de Policarpa Salavarrieta

Salavarrieta Ríos, also known as ‘La Pola’, was a young woman of Spanish origin from Guaduas in Socorro (present-day Colombia). From 1815 she lent her support to the Patriot guerrilla forces which fought against Spanish rule during the Spanish ‘reconquest’ of viceroyalty of New Granada (a Spanish colonial jurisdiction which corresponded mainly to the territories which comprise modern Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama) during the Latin American Wars of Independence.

Salavarrieta Ríos spied for the Patriots and sent information to their fighters. In Bogotá, she worked as a seamstress, a profession which allowed her to enter the houses of prominent Royalists and to obtain information to pass to the insurgents. She also entered prisons to take food to captured soldiers, taking advantage of the opportunity to supply them with information about the military situation.

In 1816, she was discovered, captured, imprisoned and sentenced to death by the Royalist general Juan Sámano.

This statue, which was designed and crafted by the Colombian sculptor Dionisio Cortés, represents the moment of her execution in Bogotá’s central plaza (today called the Plaza de Bolívar) on 14 November 1817. Salavarrieta Ríos is depicted seated, with her hands tied behind her back and her eyes open, waiting to be killed.

As she walked towards her execution, Salavarrieta Ríos is said to have issued a rousing call to her countrymen and countrywomen for rebellion and defiance: ‘Do not cry for me; cry for the slavery and the imprisonment of your downtrodden people. May my destiny serve as your example. Rise up and resist the outrages which you suffer with so much injustice.’

Her other frequently quoted last words, which are engraved on one of the plaques at the base of the statue, were: ‘Even though I am young, and a woman, I have more than enough valour to suffer this death and a thousand more deaths. Long live liberty.’

The statue was commissioned, sculpted and erected in celebration of the first centenary of Colombian Independence. It was unveiled on 29 July 1910.

Estatua de Policarpa Salavarrieta today

Policarpa Salavarrieta is a Colombian national hero: you’ll find her on Colombian currency and old postage stamps, as well as this particular statue. This statue is part of a much wider cultural of memory and commemoration.

She was buried in La Candelaria in the ex-convent of San Agustin, so the statue’s location has an added layer of significance.

Getting to Estatua de Policarpa Salavarrieta

The statue is located on the eastern fringes of Bogota on Calle 13. You can walk here from La Candelaria – it’s a 10 minute walk from Museo del Oro and about the same again to the foot of Cerro de Monserrate. If you’re coming from further afield, you can get the TransMilenio to Museo del Oro or find a taxi.

History of Iglesia de San Francisco

The first church was built on this spot by Franciscan friars in the 16th century, and the church’s magnificent Baroque altarpiece was added in 1623: this is still on display today and is considered one of the church’s highlights. It depicts God as the Eternal Father, complete with the apostles and a variety of saints, and is covered in gold lead (appropriately, the church is almost opposite Museo del Oro, the gold museum).

The foundations and structure of the building were severely damaged by a major earthquake in 1785, and were subsequently rebuilt shortly afterwards, although some relatively major alterations were undertaken to the layout and structure of the building, The whole complex spanned several blocks, and included cloisters and a convent.

When Bogota had major civic improvements undertaken in the early 20th century, the cloisters were removed to make way for the Palacio de San Francisco. More recently, the exterior has been stripped of its original white paint. The only original surviving parts of the 18th century church today are the main façade, tower and presbytery.

Iglesia de San Francisco today

The church remains an atmospheric Baroque masterpiece, and the altarpiece and side chapels are of particular note. The site remains a popular place of pilgrimage in for Catholics across Colombia, which adds reverence to the atmosphere.

Getting to Iglesia de San Francisco

The church is located just off Avenida Jiminez, and is extremely close to the Museo del Oro TransMilenio stop. It is easily walkable from other main sites in Bogota’s La Candelaria district.

History of Las Bóvedas

The literal meaning of Las Bóvedas is ‘the vaults’: they were built between 1792 and 1798 by a Spanish engineer called Antonio de Arevalo as munitions storage. Indeed the 47 arches and 23 vaults of Las Bóvedas were the last Spanish colonial project built within Cartagena’s city walls.

Cartagena was an important port city and was seen as a gateway to the rest of Latin America. It became a centre of political and economic power under Spanish rule, and was targeted by the English in the 18th century. Ensuring Cartagena was secure and well-defended was vital for Spanish expansion and prosperity.

During the Latin American wars of independence, when Cartagena was under heavy siege, Las Bóvedas took on a more sinister role as dungeons, and their proximity to the Caribbean Sea meant prisoners would often be knee deep in seawater. The vaults are said to be bombproof.

Las Bóvedas today

The site is a tourist attraction today, with few reminders of its previous military past. The vaults contain shop offering a range of souvenirs and Colombian arts and crafts, orientated for tourists. You can climb on top of Las Bóvedas for an excellent view of the sparkling Caribbean sea.

Getting to Las Bóvedas

Las Bóvedas is in the north of Cartagena, off Carrera 2. It’s a short, 15 minute, walk from anywhere in the historic area of the city, or if you don’t fancy walking, a taxi will be able to take you there easily (although bear in mind Cartagena’s narrow streets mean taxis can be extremely slow, although they might be air conditioned).

History of Museo Botero

Ferdinand Botero is one of Colombia’s most famous living artists: his style, Boterismo, is unique, as he paints what he has termed ‘large people’ – people with exaggerated proportions, normally as a means of critiquing or satirising prominent figures. He rose to international fame in the 1990s, and his work has been displayed globally: he received the International Sculpture Centre’s Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award in 2012. Whilst Botero’s work is not hugely well known in Europe, you might recognise his 1964 painting of Pope Leo X, which has been turned into a popular meme.

Botero also painted a series based on drug violence and cartels in Colombia in the 1980s/90s, and caused further controversy with his Abu Ghraib series, which looked at abuse in Iraqi prisons by Americans.

Museo Botero today

In 2000, he bequeathed 123 pieces of his own work and 85 other items from his collections to the people of Colombia, and worked with the Banco de la Republica to create a setting in which they could be appreciated and enjoyed to their utmost. One of the stipulations of the bequest was for the museum to be free to all, so that people from all walks of life and backgrounds could enjoy, study and learn from Botero’s work.

The museum remains a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon: the east wing contains Botero’s collection, whilst the other wings house his own work. The museum is open every day except Tuesdays, and remains free to all.

Getting to Museo Botero

The Museum is helpfully located in La Candelaria, where many of Bogota’s main cultural attractions can be found. The museum is free to access, and housed in an old colonial administration building.

History of Museo Casa de Moneda

The building which now houses the museum was first established as a mint in 1621, and saw the first coins minted in South America. The museum was first opened in 1961 to display some of the extensive collection of the Banco de la Republica, and underwent major renovations (both to the fabric of the building and the layout) in 1985.

Today the building itself is a peaceful respite from the streets of La Candelaria, and the interior courtyard garden is a pleasant spot to sit.

Museo Casa de Moneda today

The museum charts the history of currency from pre-Colombian society to the present day. Exchanging goods has always been a part of society, and the exhibition begins with the exchange of pots for goods, before moving on to some of the earliest metal coins found in Colombia.

The exhibition also draws on interesting differences in the significance of gold for pre-Colombian and Spanish peoples, and the shift from predominantly using gold coins towards the ubiquitous paper money of today.

The first centralized bank in Colombia (Banco Nacional) was introduced in 1880, although it took three attempts to get a permanent bank established. The Banco de la Republica was formally established in 1923, and remains the country’s central bank today.

The museum contains some of the vast collection of peso notes and coins that have been produced, including different designs representing Colombia’s rich biodiverse environment, as well as the more traditional faces of celebrated national heroes, including the writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the revolutionary Simon Bolivar and the current president.

Interestingly, despite the building’s name, minting and printing of money was outsourced to New York for a several years in the late 19th century.

Getting to Museo Casa de la Moneda

The museum is located on Calle 11, in the historic La Candelaria district of Bogota. It is easily accessible on foot from other major sites. The nearest TransMilenio station is Museo del Oro, which is a short walk away.