Within a short walking distance from the Hotel Casa de la Botica you will find many interesting museums, theaters, historical churches and other points of interest, including the following:
CASA DE LA MONEDA-COLECCION DE ARTE
Address: Calle 11 No. 4–14
Phone: 3431212
Website: www.lablaa.org
Monday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesday.
Located at the site of the colonial mint where the first gold coins were minted in the Western Hemisphere in 1622, Casa de la Moneda is home to the numismatic collection of the Banco de la Republica and is part of the large Luis Angel Arango Library complex. The museum features ten rooms displaying approximately 11,000 pieces of currency, as well as historical documents and machinery used in the manufacture of coins. The collection offers a fascinating glimpse into Colombian history and the actual processes involved in the production of coins and bills.
CASA DEL FLORERO — CASA DEL 20 DE JULIO
Address: Calle 11 No. 6-94
Phone: 3344150, 2826647, 3360349
Website: http://www.quintadebolivar.gov.co/museoindependencia/index.htm
Tuesday thru Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Monday.
Casa del Florero (“House of the Vase”), also known as Casa del 20 de Julio, is a beautifully restored 17th century home that was the site of one of the pivotal events leading to the end of Spanish rule in the New World. It was here on the 20th of July, 1810, that the Creole rebellion began, ostensibly because the home’s owner, Jose Gonzales Llorente, a Spaniard, refused to loan the now famous vase for the decoration of the main table at an event in honor of Antonio Villavicencio, a prominent Creole. In reality, the controversy was used as a pretext by the Creoles to rebel against the Spaniards, ultimately leading to Colombia’s independence from Spain. Casa del Florero’s nine halls now display about two thousand objects relating to the history of the Independence of Colombia.
CASA POESÍA SILVA Address: Calle 14 No. 3-41
Telephone: 2865710; Library: 2864414
Website: www.casadepoesiasilva.com
Monday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesday.
This library is the former home of 19th century Colombian poet, José Asunción Silva, one of the founders of Spanish-American Modernism. Silva reportedly committed suicide there in 1896. Although originally built in the early 18th century, the building has been renovated to faithfully reflect its condition during Silva’s lifetime, right down to the period lamps and chandeliers. The library fittingly specializes in poetry, and includes an audio archive of famous poets reading from their own works. The library organizes poetry festivals and is considered to be a major cultural center by Colombian artists and intellectuals.
MUSEO DEL ORO Address: Calle 16 No. 5-41, Parque Santander
Phone: 3432222
Website: www.banrep.gov.co/museo Tuesday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Monday.
The collection of the Museo del Oro has been declared a Colombian National Monument and is considered the world’s largest of its kind. It includes 34,000 gold pieces and 20,000 bone, stone, ceramic and textile pieces from a variety of indigenous cultures, including the Calima, Quimbaya, Muisca, Tairona, Sinú, Tolima, and Malagana, among others. The ground floor houses temporary exhibitions. The second floor features a tour of various cultures, highlighting their economy, goldsmith techniques and perspectives on mortality. On display are various poporos, masks, breastplates, pendants, necklaces, bracelets and hundreds of figurines. The third floor explores the use of symbolism in pre-Columbian cultures.
Museo Botero, another museum housed in the large Luis Ángel Arango Library complex, features over 100 pieces from Colombia’s most famous visual artist, Fernando Botero, a sculptor and painter whose corpulent nudes are almost universally recognizable even to those who are unfamiliar with his name. Botero donated his art to the museum, which also features an impressive array of paintings and sculptures from other artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection is housed in a restored 18th century home.
CENTRO CULTURAL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ
Address: Calle 11 No. 5-60
Phone: 2832200
Website: www.fce.com.co
Monday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This cultural center, named after Colombia’s Nobel Prize winning author, Gabriel García Márquez, houses a library of over 80,000 books, a gallery, an auditorium, and various classrooms that are used for cultural events, classes and seminars. The building was designed by architect Rogelio Salmona and inaugurated in 2008. It is over 9,500 square meters and features generous outdoor spaces.
CASA DE EXPOSICIONES DE LA BIBLIOTECA LUIS ÁNGEL ARANGO
Address: Calle 11 No. 4-21
Phone: 3431223, 3430999, 3431212
Website: www.lablaa.org
Monday thru Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Tuesday.
Built by the Bank of the Republic of Colombia, the country’s central bank, this cultural center is named after the Bank’s General Manager, who served during the period 1947-1957. Opened in 1958, it is both a library and a general cultural center, sponsoring various activities and events in music, the visual arts, and numismatics.
FUNDACION GILBERTO ALZATE AVENDAÑO
Address: Calle 10 No. 3
Phone: 2829491
Website: www.fgaa.gov.co
Monday thru Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.
This small art gallery is situated in the old quarter of La Candelaria inside a beautiful colonial home, and includes a popular restaurant on the first floor. The collection focuses on contemporary Colombian art.
MUSEO DE ARTE COLONIAL – CLAUSTRO LAS AGUAS
Address: Carrera 6 No. 9-77
Phone: 3416017, 2866768
Tuesday thru Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.;
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed on Monday.
Erected in the early 17th century as a religious monastery and now one of the oldest buildings in Santa Fe de Bogotá, Claustro Las Aguas has since 1942 been home to the Museum of Colonial Art. The collection consists of nearly 1,500 works or art, including the most complete collection of paintings and drawings by Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos, a famous 18th century painter.
CASA DE SÁENZ MANUELITA
Address: Calle 10 No. 6-20
Phone: 2828531
Monday thru Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm
Saturday and last Sunday of month: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
This museum is named after Manuela Sáenz, the companion of the great liberator, Simón Bolívar. They shared the home during the turbulent early years of Colombian independence. The museum focuses on her life and relationship with Bolívar, providing a fascinating insight into the political and social mores of the early 19th century. Included in the collection are period clothing and paintings that bring the era and these historical figures to vibrant life.
MUSEO DEL SIGLO XIX
Address: Carrera 8 No. 7-93
Phone: 2819948, 2817362
Monday thru Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
Museo Del Siglo XIX was founded in 1980 and is located next to Palacio de Nariño. The museum’s collection focuses on 19th and early 20th century art, and is an entertainingly eclectic mix of themes and artistic forms, including rooms devoted to cartoons and illustrations, postcards, fans, period clothing, glasswork and miniatures, as well as rooms devoted to landscape paintings and portraits. The first floor contains a modern reconstruction of a nineteenth century pharmacy.
MUSEO DEL MARQUÉS DE SAN JORGE– SEDE DEL MUSEO ARQUEOLÓGICO
Address: Carrera 6 No. 7-43
Phone: 2430465, 2431048
Website: www.musarq.org.co/colecciones/colonial.htm
Monday thru Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
This museum is situated in a two story 17th century home, and is named after its 18th century owner, Don Jorge Lozano, Marqués de San Jorge. The structure has been restored several times, but retains the authentic look and feel of the colonial era, with a central courtyard surrounded by balconies. The museum was founded in 1973, and its 15,000 piece collection is principally devoted to pre-Columbian art. The facility also includes a bookstore and a restaurant.
ARCHIVO GENERAL DE LA NACIÓN
Address: Carrera 6 No. 6-91
Phone: 3282888
Website: www.archivogeneral.gov.co
Monday thru Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
This building contains Colombia’s national archives, and is consequently of special interest to amateur and professional historians. However, there is much to interest the casual tourist as well. In addition to the archives, the building includes both an auditorium and other rooms devoted to educational activity. Guided tours are available.
Located in the foyer of the concert hall of the Luis Angel Arango Library, this musical instrument collection was begun by Monsignor José Ignacio Perdomo, a scholar and a passionate music lover who from 1938 was secretary of the Conservatory of Music.
MUSEO DE TRAJES REGIONALES DE COLOMBIA
Address: Calle 10 No. 6-36
Phone: 2826531, 3410403
Website: www.uamerica.edu.co/museo/museo.html
Monday thru Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 4 :00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
This museum displays costumes from different regions of Colombia, as well as various pre-Columbian and colonial ornaments.
MUSEO FRANCISCO JOSÉ DE CALDAS
Address: Carrera 8 No. 6-87
Phone: 2896275
Monday thru Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
Francisco José de Caldas was a hero of Colombia’s war for independence from Spain. The museum that bears his name is located in his former home, a two story colonial building originally constructed in 1682 and declared a National Monument in 1944. The museum opened its doors in 1984, and includes a reception hall and administration office leading to a stone patio surrounded by corridors and six large exhibition halls. Francisco José de Caldas was truly a renaissance man, and the museum is devoted to his interests as a geographer, botanist, astronomer, writer and journalist.
Palacio de Nariño is the official residence of the President of the Republic. It is a beautiful late nineteenth century palace that is adjacent to the Senate of the Republic and the Plaza Simón Bolívar. The garden area of the Palace is also home to Observatorio Astronómico de Bogotá, which was built in 1802 and is reportedly the first astronomical observatory in the New World.
PLAZA BOLÍVAR
Address: Located between Calle 10 and 11, and las Carreras 7 and 8.
Plaza Bolívar, or Bolívar Square, was the heart of Bogotá in the colonial era. It is bounded on its southern side by the Palace of Justice, the headquarters of Colombia’s Supreme Court, on its northern side by the National Capitol, the seat of Colombia’s Congress, on its western side by the Mayor’s Office, and on its eastern side by the Primate Cathedral.
PLAZOLETA DEL CHORRO DE QUEVEDO
Address: Located at the intersection of Calle 13 with Carrera 2.
The Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo is the site of what is popularly believed to have been the founding of Bogotá in 1538 by the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada, who is claimed to have built 12 huts and a small chapel there. The small urban square is now surrounded by bars and restaurants, and is a popular social spot for students and tourists. The square is frequented by jugglers, handicraft sellers, storytellers and musicians.
SANTUARIO DE MONSERRATE
Address: Paseo Bolívar 2-48 este
Phone: 2845700
Railway car:
Monday thru Saturday: 7:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Sundays and Holidays: 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Cable car:
Monday thru Saturday: 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Website www.cerromonserrate.com
Sanctuario de Monserrate is not within walking distance of Hotel Casa de la Botica, but is worth making a special trip from the Hotel. The Sanctuary, dedicated to Our Lady de la Cruz de Monserrate, is located 3153 meters high in the eastern hills of the City. From the base of Monserrate, you will probably want to take either the railway car (funicular) or cable car. The Sanctuary provides a magnificent view of Bogotá and you can enjoy traditional and international cuisine in either of two restaurants. The site has been a place of pilgrimage since colonial times. The current Sanctuary building, completed in 1920, stands on the same site occupied in the early 17th century by a chapel and a Carthusian monastery. The Sanctuary exhibits a 16th century carving, “The Fallen Lord of Monserrate,” by Pedro de Lugo Albarracín, which is popularly reputed to have healing powers.
TEATRO CAMARÍN DEL CARMEN
Address: Calle 9 No. 4-93
Phone: 2813627
Teatro Camarín del Carmen was founded as a theater in 1989 in a beautifully restored building that was formerly a Carmelite convent. The theater, which boasts an exquisite balcony, now seats approximately 500 persons and is used for plays and other live performances.
Teatro de Cristobal Colon was designed by the Itialian architect, Pietro Cantini, the same architect who designed Bogotá’s Capitol building. The theater was built in a neoclassical style and was completed in 1892, just in time to open its doors to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World. Cantini enlisted the aid of many notable artists in building the theater, and their efforts are evident throughout, from the plaster panels and seats decorated by Italian artista Luigi Ramelli, to the stunning ceiling mural by Philip Mastellari. The theater was declared a National Monument in 1975, and is now devoted to the performing arts and music. Teatro de Cristobal Colon is home to the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia.
TEATRO LA QUINTA PORRA
Address: Calle 11 #2-78
Teatro la Quinta Porra is the brainchild of Omar Porras, a Swiss-Colombian actor who previously founded the Swiss acting company, Teatro Molandro. In 2006, Porras bought the property that was formerly home to Teatro El Local, and formed Teatro la Quinta Porra, an experimental theater group. The theater is a cultural center for the development of the arts (theater, music, dance, etc.), and for non-formal education in these fields. Among the works Porras has adapted and staged include: “The Don Juan”, inspired by the works of Tirso de Molina, “King Ubu” by Alfred Jarry, “Bacchantes”, the great Greek classic by Euripides, “Bodas de Sangre” and “Don Perlimplín” by Federico García Lorca, “Othello” by William Shakespeare, and “Oh! Quixote,” an adaptation of the work of Miguel de Cervantes.
TEATRO LA CANDELARIA
Address: Calle 12 No. 2-59
Phone: 2814814, 3420388
Teatro la Candelaria is a theater company that was founded by a group of artists and intellectuals engaged in the experimental theater movement in Bogotá. In 1968, the company moved to its present location in an old colonial home that was renovated to create an auditorium for 200 spectators. It has earned a reputation as being a theater company especially involved in the exploration of contemporary social and political issues. It offers both classical and contemporary productions throughout the year.
Local Attractions
Museums | Landmarks | Theaters | Churches
Within a short walking distance from the Hotel Casa de la Botica you will find many interesting museums, theaters, historical churches and other points of interest, including the following:
MUSEUMS
CASA DE LA MONEDA-COLECCION DE ARTE
Address: Calle 11 No. 4–14
Phone: 3431212
Website: www.lablaa.org
Monday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesday.
Located at the site of the colonial mint where the first gold coins were minted in the Western Hemisphere in 1622, Casa de la Moneda is home to the numismatic collection of the Banco de la Republica and is part of the large Luis Angel Arango Library complex. The museum features ten rooms displaying approximately 11,000 pieces of currency, as well as historical documents and machinery used in the manufacture of coins. The collection offers a fascinating glimpse into Colombian history and the actual processes involved in the production of coins and bills.
CASA DEL FLORERO — CASA DEL 20 DE JULIO
Address: Calle 11 No. 6-94
Phone: 3344150, 2826647, 3360349
Website: http://www.quintadebolivar.gov.co/museoindependencia/index.htm
Tuesday thru Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Monday.
Casa del Florero (“House of the Vase”), also known as Casa del 20 de Julio, is a beautifully restored 17th century home that was the site of one of the pivotal events leading to the end of Spanish rule in the New World. It was here on the 20th of July, 1810, that the Creole rebellion began, ostensibly because the home’s owner, Jose Gonzales Llorente, a Spaniard, refused to loan the now famous vase for the decoration of the main table at an event in honor of Antonio Villavicencio, a prominent Creole. In reality, the controversy was used as a pretext by the Creoles to rebel against the Spaniards, ultimately leading to Colombia’s independence from Spain. Casa del Florero’s nine halls now display about two thousand objects relating to the history of the Independence of Colombia.
CASA POESÍA SILVA
Address: Calle 14 No. 3-41
Telephone: 2865710; Library: 2864414
Website: www.casadepoesiasilva.com
Monday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesday.
This library is the former home of 19th century Colombian poet, José Asunción Silva, one of the founders of Spanish-American Modernism. Silva reportedly committed suicide there in 1896. Although originally built in the early 18th century, the building has been renovated to faithfully reflect its condition during Silva’s lifetime, right down to the period lamps and chandeliers. The library fittingly specializes in poetry, and includes an audio archive of famous poets reading from their own works. The library organizes poetry festivals and is considered to be a major cultural center by Colombian artists and intellectuals.
MUSEO DEL ORO
Address: Calle 16 No. 5-41, Parque Santander
Phone: 3432222
Website: www.banrep.gov.co/museo
Tuesday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Monday.
The collection of the Museo del Oro has been declared a Colombian National Monument and is considered the world’s largest of its kind. It includes 34,000 gold pieces and 20,000 bone, stone, ceramic and textile pieces from a variety of indigenous cultures, including the Calima, Quimbaya, Muisca, Tairona, Sinú, Tolima, and Malagana, among others. The ground floor houses temporary exhibitions. The second floor features a tour of various cultures, highlighting their economy, goldsmith techniques and perspectives on mortality. On display are various poporos, masks, breastplates, pendants, necklaces, bracelets and hundreds of figurines. The third floor explores the use of symbolism in pre-Columbian cultures.
MUSEO BOTERO
Address: Calle 11 No. 4-41
Phone: 3431223, 3430999
Website: www.lablaa.org/museobotero.htm
Monday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Tuesday.
Museo Botero, another museum housed in the large Luis Ángel Arango Library complex, features over 100 pieces from Colombia’s most famous visual artist, Fernando Botero, a sculptor and painter whose corpulent nudes are almost universally recognizable even to those who are unfamiliar with his name. Botero donated his art to the museum, which also features an impressive array of paintings and sculptures from other artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection is housed in a restored 18th century home.
CENTRO CULTURAL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ
Address: Calle 11 No. 5-60
Phone: 2832200
Website: www.fce.com.co
Monday thru Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This cultural center, named after Colombia’s Nobel Prize winning author, Gabriel García Márquez, houses a library of over 80,000 books, a gallery, an auditorium, and various classrooms that are used for cultural events, classes and seminars. The building was designed by architect Rogelio Salmona and inaugurated in 2008. It is over 9,500 square meters and features generous outdoor spaces.
CASA DE EXPOSICIONES DE LA BIBLIOTECA LUIS ÁNGEL ARANGO
Address: Calle 11 No. 4-21
Phone: 3431223, 3430999, 3431212
Website: www.lablaa.org
Monday thru Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Tuesday.
Built by the Bank of the Republic of Colombia, the country’s central bank, this cultural center is named after the Bank’s General Manager, who served during the period 1947-1957. Opened in 1958, it is both a library and a general cultural center, sponsoring various activities and events in music, the visual arts, and numismatics.
FUNDACION GILBERTO ALZATE AVENDAÑO
Address: Calle 10 No. 3
Phone: 2829491
Website: www.fgaa.gov.co
Monday thru Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m.
This small art gallery is situated in the old quarter of La Candelaria inside a beautiful colonial home, and includes a popular restaurant on the first floor. The collection focuses on contemporary Colombian art.
MUSEO DE ARTE COLONIAL – CLAUSTRO LAS AGUAS
Address: Carrera 6 No. 9-77
Phone: 3416017, 2866768
Tuesday thru Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.;
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed on Monday.
Erected in the early 17th century as a religious monastery and now one of the oldest buildings in Santa Fe de Bogotá, Claustro Las Aguas has since 1942 been home to the Museum of Colonial Art. The collection consists of nearly 1,500 works or art, including the most complete collection of paintings and drawings by Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos, a famous 18th century painter.
CASA DE SÁENZ MANUELITA
Address: Calle 10 No. 6-20
Phone: 2828531
Monday thru Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm
Saturday and last Sunday of month: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
This museum is named after Manuela Sáenz, the companion of the great liberator, Simón Bolívar. They shared the home during the turbulent early years of Colombian independence. The museum focuses on her life and relationship with Bolívar, providing a fascinating insight into the political and social mores of the early 19th century. Included in the collection are period clothing and paintings that bring the era and these historical figures to vibrant life.
MUSEO DEL SIGLO XIX
Address: Carrera 8 No. 7-93
Phone: 2819948, 2817362
Monday thru Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
Museo Del Siglo XIX was founded in 1980 and is located next to Palacio de Nariño. The museum’s collection focuses on 19th and early 20th century art, and is an entertainingly eclectic mix of themes and artistic forms, including rooms devoted to cartoons and illustrations, postcards, fans, period clothing, glasswork and miniatures, as well as rooms devoted to landscape paintings and portraits. The first floor contains a modern reconstruction of a nineteenth century pharmacy.
MUSEO DEL MARQUÉS DE SAN JORGE– SEDE DEL MUSEO ARQUEOLÓGICO
Address: Carrera 6 No. 7-43
Phone: 2430465, 2431048
Website: www.musarq.org.co/colecciones/colonial.htm
Monday thru Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
This museum is situated in a two story 17th century home, and is named after its 18th century owner, Don Jorge Lozano, Marqués de San Jorge. The structure has been restored several times, but retains the authentic look and feel of the colonial era, with a central courtyard surrounded by balconies. The museum was founded in 1973, and its 15,000 piece collection is principally devoted to pre-Columbian art. The facility also includes a bookstore and a restaurant.
ARCHIVO GENERAL DE LA NACIÓN
Address: Carrera 6 No. 6-91
Phone: 3282888
Website: www.archivogeneral.gov.co
Monday thru Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
This building contains Colombia’s national archives, and is consequently of special interest to amateur and professional historians. However, there is much to interest the casual tourist as well. In addition to the archives, the building includes both an auditorium and other rooms devoted to educational activity. Guided tours are available.
COLECCIÓN DE INSTRUMENTOS MUSICALES
Address: Calle 11 No. 4-14
Phone: 3431223, 3430999, 3431212
Website: www.lablaa.org
Monday thru Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Closed on Holidays.
Located in the foyer of the concert hall of the Luis Angel Arango Library, this musical instrument collection was begun by Monsignor José Ignacio Perdomo, a scholar and a passionate music lover who from 1938 was secretary of the Conservatory of Music.
MUSEO DE TRAJES REGIONALES DE COLOMBIA
Address: Calle 10 No. 6-36
Phone: 2826531, 3410403
Website: www.uamerica.edu.co/museo/museo.html
Monday thru Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 4 :00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
This museum displays costumes from different regions of Colombia, as well as various pre-Columbian and colonial ornaments.
MUSEO FRANCISCO JOSÉ DE CALDAS
Address: Carrera 8 No. 6-87
Phone: 2896275
Monday thru Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday.
Francisco José de Caldas was a hero of Colombia’s war for independence from Spain. The museum that bears his name is located in his former home, a two story colonial building originally constructed in 1682 and declared a National Monument in 1944. The museum opened its doors in 1984, and includes a reception hall and administration office leading to a stone patio surrounded by corridors and six large exhibition halls. Francisco José de Caldas was truly a renaissance man, and the museum is devoted to his interests as a geographer, botanist, astronomer, writer and journalist.
LANDMARKS
PALACIO DE NARIÑO
Address: Carrera 8 No. 7-26
Phone: 5627300
Website: http://web.presidencia.gov.co/narino/
Palacio de Nariño is the official residence of the President of the Republic. It is a beautiful late nineteenth century palace that is adjacent to the Senate of the Republic and the Plaza Simón Bolívar. The garden area of the Palace is also home to Observatorio Astronómico de Bogotá, which was built in 1802 and is reportedly the first astronomical observatory in the New World.
PLAZA BOLÍVAR
Address: Located between Calle 10 and 11, and las Carreras 7 and 8.
Plaza Bolívar, or Bolívar Square, was the heart of Bogotá in the colonial era. It is bounded on its southern side by the Palace of Justice, the headquarters of Colombia’s Supreme Court, on its northern side by the National Capitol, the seat of Colombia’s Congress, on its western side by the Mayor’s Office, and on its eastern side by the Primate Cathedral.
PLAZOLETA DEL CHORRO DE QUEVEDO
Address: Located at the intersection of Calle 13 with Carrera 2.
The Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo is the site of what is popularly believed to have been the founding of Bogotá in 1538 by the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada, who is claimed to have built 12 huts and a small chapel there. The small urban square is now surrounded by bars and restaurants, and is a popular social spot for students and tourists. The square is frequented by jugglers, handicraft sellers, storytellers and musicians.
SANTUARIO DE MONSERRATE
Address: Paseo Bolívar 2-48 este
Phone: 2845700
Railway car:
Monday thru Saturday: 7:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Sundays and Holidays: 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Cable car:
Monday thru Saturday: 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Website www.cerromonserrate.com
Sanctuario de Monserrate is not within walking distance of Hotel Casa de la Botica, but is worth making a special trip from the Hotel. The Sanctuary, dedicated to Our Lady de la Cruz de Monserrate, is located 3153 meters high in the eastern hills of the City. From the base of Monserrate, you will probably want to take either the railway car (funicular) or cable car. The Sanctuary provides a magnificent view of Bogotá and you can enjoy traditional and international cuisine in either of two restaurants. The site has been a place of pilgrimage since colonial times. The current Sanctuary building, completed in 1920, stands on the same site occupied in the early 17th century by a chapel and a Carthusian monastery. The Sanctuary exhibits a 16th century carving, “The Fallen Lord of Monserrate,” by Pedro de Lugo Albarracín, which is popularly reputed to have healing powers.
THEATERS
TEATRO CAMARÍN DEL CARMEN
Address: Calle 9 No. 4-93
Phone: 2813627
Teatro Camarín del Carmen was founded as a theater in 1989 in a beautifully restored building that was formerly a Carmelite convent. The theater, which boasts an exquisite balcony, now seats approximately 500 persons and is used for plays and other live performances.
TEATRO DE CRISTÓBAL COLÓN
Address: Calle 10 No. 5-32
Phone: 2847420
Website:http://www1.mincultura.gov.co/nuevo/teatro_colon/index.php
Teatro de Cristobal Colon was designed by the Itialian architect, Pietro Cantini, the same architect who designed Bogotá’s Capitol building. The theater was built in a neoclassical style and was completed in 1892, just in time to open its doors to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World. Cantini enlisted the aid of many notable artists in building the theater, and their efforts are evident throughout, from the plaster panels and seats decorated by Italian artista Luigi Ramelli, to the stunning ceiling mural by Philip Mastellari. The theater was declared a National Monument in 1975, and is now devoted to the performing arts and music. Teatro de Cristobal Colon is home to the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia.
TEATRO LA QUINTA PORRA
Address: Calle 11 #2-78
Teatro la Quinta Porra is the brainchild of Omar Porras, a Swiss-Colombian actor who previously founded the Swiss acting company, Teatro Molandro. In 2006, Porras bought the property that was formerly home to Teatro El Local, and formed Teatro la Quinta Porra, an experimental theater group. The theater is a cultural center for the development of the arts (theater, music, dance, etc.), and for non-formal education in these fields. Among the works Porras has adapted and staged include: “The Don Juan”, inspired by the works of Tirso de Molina, “King Ubu” by Alfred Jarry, “Bacchantes”, the great Greek classic by Euripides, “Bodas de Sangre” and “Don Perlimplín” by Federico García Lorca, “Othello” by William Shakespeare, and “Oh! Quixote,” an adaptation of the work of Miguel de Cervantes.
TEATRO LA CANDELARIA
Address: Calle 12 No. 2-59
Phone: 2814814, 3420388
Teatro la Candelaria is a theater company that was founded by a group of artists and intellectuals engaged in the experimental theater movement in Bogotá. In 1968, the company moved to its present location in an old colonial home that was renovated to create an auditorium for 200 spectators. It has earned a reputation as being a theater company especially involved in the exploration of contemporary social and political issues. It offers both classical and contemporary productions throughout the year.
CHURCHES
MUSEO IGLESIA DE SANTA CLARA
Address: Carrera 8 no. 8-91
CAPILLA DEL SAGRARIO
Address: Carrera 7 No. 10-40
CATEDRAL PRIMADA DE COLOMBIA
Address: Carrera 7 No. 10-80
IGLESIA DE LA CANDELARIA
Address: Intersection of Calle 11 with Carrera 4
IGLESIA DE LA CAPUCHINA
Address: Intersection of Calle 14 and Carrera 13
Telephone: 3410429
IGLESIA DE LA CONCEPCION
Address: Calle 10 No. 9-50
IGLESIA DE LA TERCERA ORDEN FRANCISCANA
Address: Intersection of Calle 16 and Carrera 7
IGLESIA DE LA VERACRUZ
Address: Calle 16 No.7-19
IGLESIA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LAS NIEVES
Address: Intersection of Calle 20 and Carrera 7
IGLESIA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA PEÑA
Address: Carrera 19 No. 4-16 c
IGLESIA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LAS AGUAS
Address: Carrera 3 No. 18-66
IGLESIA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE EGIPTO
Address: Carrera 4 No.10-02
IGLESIA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL CARMEN
Address: Carrera 5 No.8-36
IGLESIA DE SAN AGUSTIN
Address: Intersection of Calle 7 and Carrera 7
IGLESIA DE SAN FRANCISCO
Address: Intersection of Calle 7 and Avenida Jiménez
IGLESIA DE SAN IGNACIO
Address: Calle 10 No.6-35
IGLESIA DE SANTA BARBARA CENTRO
Address: Carrera 7 No.5-26
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