Things to see and do Bogotá & Area

A must-see during your visit, Bolivar Square is the historical, political, cultural and religious heart of the country. It was built on the site of the first twelve houses built in Bogotá and dedicated to the twelve apostles. Following the strict rules of architecture imposed by the Spanish Crown, the Plaza Mayor is dominated by the statue of Simón Bolívar, created in 1846 by the Italian sculptor Pietro Tenerani. To the south of the square stands the neoclassical Capitol Nacional, built between 1847 and 1925. It is the seat of Congress. The building opposite it on the other side of the square is the Palacio de Justicia. This modern building replaced the old courthouse that was destroyed by army tanks in 1985 after it was occupied by an M-19 guerrilla group. On the east side, the majestic cathedral and the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as the Casa del Florero. On the west side, the Palacio Liévano which houses the town hall. This large square is always very lively and regularly hosts political and cultural events. At dawn on June 5, 2016, in 8°C weather, more than 6,000 people stripped down to pose naked in front of the lens of the North American photographer Spencer Tunik (video of the event that brought together ex-guerrillas, ex-paramilitaries and ex-military on YouTube: "Johnnie Walker & Mambo enable Spencer Tunick and a moment of Colombian unity"). More recently, in September 2017, Pope Francis came there to bless 22,000 young Colombians.

It is a classic building erected between 1847 and 1925, at the initiative of President Thomas Cipriano Mosquera.

What remains of the Royal Santa Clara Monastery. It also houses three campaniles of 1795. The museum exhibits paintings and sculptures in golden wood and sometimes hosts exhibitions of contemporary art.

In 2017, following the peace agreements between the Colombian government and FARC that put an end to several years of guerrilla warfare, this place of remembrance and reflection on the civil war came into being in Bogotá. The motivations, concept and purpose of this unprecedented monument demand respect and humility. Firstly, it was conceived by a woman, Doris Salcedo. Intended as a "counter-monument", it breaks with the traditional codes of memorial sites by focusing not on a factual historical narrative, but on the ruptures and traumas generated by the armed conflict, here recognized and made visible. Among these is war rape, symbolically represented and highlighted by the participation of over twenty women who were victims of sexual violence during the civil war in the creation of the site. On a human scale, this space is conceptual and uncluttered, and composed of a horizontal metal structure that forms several rooms, following the traces of the ruins of the house on which the counter-monument is founded. The appearance is unfinished and the interior empty, a metaphor for the destruction and emptiness left by war. The floor is made of melted material from over 13,000 weapons that once belonged to FARC. The exterior is a lush garden. The whole is a living work of art, eloquent, sensitive and provocative. A place of recollection, memory, reflection and creation, various events are organized. The site will be open for 53 years, the duration of the conflict.

Bogotá's Barrio San Diego is home to the statue La Rebeca, the first sculptural representation of a naked woman in public space in Colombia. Erected in 1926 in neoclassical style, it is inspired by the biblical figure of Rebecca, wife of Isaac, a figure considered "feminist" by Catholic feminists. Depicted here topless, the nudity of her breasts shocked the good society of the time, and she made the headlines. Despite its transgressive aspect, it was preserved and is now part of Bogotá's cultural heritage.

Nicknamed "La Pola", Policarpa Salavarrieta (1795-1817) was a heroine of Colombian independence. At just 15, she took part in the fight against the Spanish colonists, in charge of communications, supplies and recruitment. She soon took on an espionage role as well, playing a strategic role by gathering vital intelligence on enemy tactics. Accused of treason by the crown, she was captured. She was shot to death in Plaza Bolivar in 1817, aged just 22, after resisting torture without giving up any information. Her youth, her courage, her contribution to the struggle and her tragic death immediately made her a symbol of freedom and an emblematic figure of independence. As a result, on the first centenary of independence in 1910, a first cement statue was erected in Barrio Las Aguas, to pay tribute to and celebrate La Pola's legacy. She is depicted seated on a bench, her hands tied behind her back, with a look of insubordination that conveys her conviction and devotion to the independence cause. "Although a woman and young, I have the courage to face death and a thousand other deaths. Long live freedom", reads the inscription at the foot of the statue. La Pola is a great Colombian female figure, honored in Bogotá, but also found elsewhere in the country, as well as on stamps, coins and the local beer "La Pola".

The basilica itself has nothing extraordinary, if not the fact of being built in red bricks, not painted. It is the only church we mention in the southern part of the city. It is a dangerous area for tourists. If you still decide to go there, take a taxi, and negotiate if you wish, the time of your visit. Here we feel the difference with the north of the city. The company is divided into very marked classes. The poverty of this neighborhood is affected by street dirt and the dress of its people. On Sunday, the place surrounding the church is very animated by the market and the faithful who come there very many. If you're facing the entrance to the church, on your left, you'll find a series of shops selling religious objects (icons, communion, representations of the Virgin, etc.), huge candles of various colors (blue, green, red, orange, white, etc.), which burn for months and illuminate from the inside. beautiful gradients.