Mirador Torre Colpatria Colpatria Tower) and other Bogotá, Colombia Things to Do Tips

On my way to the National Museum I realised Colpatria Tower might be open as it was holiday (Battle of Boyacá) and it was. Otherwise it is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, and other holidays. The tower is open for visitors between 11 - 17.
Colpatria Tower is a 172 metres tall building, built in 1979. After paying the entrance fee (3000 pesos in August 2007) you take the elevator up. There are 46 floors and the elevator take you up most of the floors, but in the end you have to take some stairs.
At the top you will have a great view over Bogotá in all directions. If you don’t make it to Cerro de Monserrate this is a good option for fantastic views.
There is a café in the top of the building It doesn’t have panorama windows for the view, but you can have a coffee before going down again.

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Phone: 1 - 283 6697
Address: Carrera 7 No 24 - 89

The Gold Museum in Bogotá has got a fantastic collection of gold objects from many pre-Hispanic cultures in Colombia. It is displayed in a very good way and the different cultures are presented. Altogether the museum has got around 50 000 objects of gold, wood, pottery, textile and stone in its collection. To be able to show more the museum is now building more galleries for exhibitions which should be ready in 2008. The gold museum in Bogotá is one of the most important gold museums in the world, if not the most important one. Don’t miss it!

I visited the Gold Museum on a holiday and then admission was free. There was a lot of visitors, but I arrived early and then there was no queue jet. When I left the museum there was a long line of people outside waiting to enter.
The museum is closed on Mondays. It is open Tuesday - Saturday between 9 - 18, and on Sundays (and holidays) between 10 - 16.

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Phone: 1 - 284 7450
Address: Calle 16 No. 5-41
Directions: Recommendable to take a TransMilenio from Autonorte southbound to Av. Jimenez, switch Eastbound until reaching the pedestrian area, then 6 blocks NE bound.
Website: http://www.banrep.gov.co/museo/home4.htm

Fernando Botero is the most famous painter and sculptor of Colombia. His paintings and sculptures can be found in museums around the world. And in squares in several big cities, both in Colombia and the rest of the world, you can see his sculptures. Characteristic of Botero’s works are the fat, very round people or animals.
The Botero collection is a quite new museum. It opened up in 2000 and contains art donated by the artist Botero. There are many paintings and sculptures made by Botero himself, but also works of other famous artists like Dalí, Picasso, Chagall, Renoir and Monet. The museum is absolutely worth a visit.
The museum is closed on Tuesdays. It is open on Monday and Wednesday - Saturday between 10 - 19. And on Sunday between 10 - 19.
Entrance is free.

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Phone: 1 - 343 1331
Address: Calle 11 No 4 -41
Directions: In Candelaria

The Church of Santa Clara is now a museum and it is a beautiful example of a colonial church. The church was built between 1629 and 1674 and was from the beginning part of the Santa Clara order. It is simple in its construction with one nave, but it is richly decorated. The vaulted ceiling is painted with floral motifs and the walls are all completely covered with frescos and paintings made by important colonial artists, like Gregorio Vasquez Arce. There are also statues of saints and woodcarvings. It is all dating from the 17th and 18th century. Before the church opened up as a museum an extensive restoration was made.

You are not allowed to take photos inside. If there is a sign by the entrance I must have missed it because when I took a photo inside I was immediately told not to do so.

There is an admission fee, but I can’t remember that I paid anything and probably I didn’t as I visited on a holiday and then many museums are free (or charge less).

The museum is closed on Mondays. It is open Tuesday - Friday between 9 - 17 and Saturday - Sunday between 10 - 16.

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Phone: 1 - 342 1639
Address: Calle 10 No 6 - 35
Directions: Near the south corner of Plaza Bolivar.

According to my guidebook the Cathedral should be open between 9 - 10 on Monday to Saturday and between 9 - 14 on Sundays. But it was never open when I passed by and I asked someone on Plaza Bolivar who told me another opening hour. I came back but it was still closed and I was now told it is always closed. Well, next time I visit Bogotá I will go back to have a look.
The Cathedral stands tall and impressive on the east side of Plaza Bolívar. Some people say it is built on the spot where the first mass was held after the foundation of Bogotá in 1538, other people say that happened somewhere else. Several churches have been built on this site but they have been destroyed because of bad foundation and earthquake. The church standing now is Bogotá’s biggest church and it was completed in 1823.

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Directions: Plaza Bolívar

The Sagrario Chapel is standing on the same side of Plaza Bolívar as the cathedral. It is the only building around the square that is from colonial times. It was built in the late 17th century and it has got a baroque façade. Inside you can see six big paintings by the artist Gregorio Vásquez.
The Sagrario Chapel is open Monday - Friday between 8 - 12 and 13 - 16.

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Directions: Plaza Bolívar

The church of San Francisco is situated in the corner of Avenida Jiménez and Carrera 7. It has got doors that are open to both streets and many people going by come in to pray.
It is the oldest surviving church in Bogotá and it was completed in 1567. The outside looks rather plain but the inside is richly decorated with works on the walls by the colonial artists Arce y Ceballos and Gaspar de Figueroa. The gilded main altarpiece is from the 17th century and extraordinary.
The church is open between 7 - 19.

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Directions: Avenida Jiménez/Carrera 7

The entire south side of Plaza Bolívar is taken up by the National Capitol, the home of the Colombian National Congress. It is a two story building built in neoclassic style. Construction was begun when Thomás Cipriano de Mosquera was president, in 1847. But because of instabilities in the country it was not finished until 1926, almost 80 years later. The architect is Thomas Reed, an English architect.

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Plaza Bolívar is a busy square. I have seen demonstrations stopping here, musicians playing and a parade of dancers beginning their parade here. At other times there are always people here, crossing the square or sitting down relaxing. There are also a lot of pigeons.
The name of the square changed in 1846 form Plaza Mayor to Plaza Bolívar and it was also then the bronze statue of Simón Bolívar in the middle of the plaza was placed there. It is made by the Italian artist Pietro Tenerani and it is the first public monument erected in Bogotá.
The plaza is lined with buildings from different periods and they are built in different architectural styles. Here you will find the Cathedral, Capilla del Sagrario, Museo del 20 de Julio, Palacio de Justicia, Edificio Liévano (the Mayors office) and the Capitolio National.

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When you walk along the streets in Candelaria you will probably notice the statues that are placed on roofs and balconies at some places. They are works made by the sculptor Jorge Olave and depict men and women of different trades. Don’t forget to look up!

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Address: Av. Circunvalar-Cra. 10, Cll. 2Sur-Av. Jimenez.
Directions: TransMilenio Autonorte southbound, switch at TM Av. Jiménez Eastbound.