CATEDRAL PRIMADA DE COLOMBIA

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception , the most emblematic religious building in the country, dominates the Plaza Bolivar. Built in 1565, it was destroyed twice by earthquakes. Its last reconstruction was undertaken between 1807 and 1823. In the Santa Isabel de Hungría chapel, one of the twelve chapels of the cathedral, lie the bodies of illustrious figures, such as the founder of the city Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, the precursor of independence Antonio Nariño and the painter Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos (1638-1711), often considered the greatest Colombian painter of the colonial era.

To the right of the cathedral is the Capilla del Sagrario. Built in the 18th century, this chapel with a beautiful nave supported by Corinthian columns contains pieces of Baroque art from the New Granada period, as well as the major works of the master Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Caballos.

The Palacio Arzobispal (Archbishop's Palace), adjacent to the Capilla del Sagrario on the southeast corner of Plaza Bolivar, is an imposing building built of ochre stone in the 1950s, after the Bogotazo revolts, in a neoclassical style. The square tower that forms the corner of the building is noteworthy, but it is not possible to enter the building, which is the place of residence of the religious personalities who come to Bogotá. It is from its balcony, Pope Francis addressed the country's youth during his visit in September 2017.