La Candelaria & Museums

★★★ La Candelaria — The Historic Heart

La Candelaria is the place where Colombia was born. The district from the 16th–17th century stretches over the slopes below Monserrate and is a labyrinth of colonial houses, baroque churches, colorful graffiti, and vibrant street life. Here are the country's most important museums, the oldest universities, and some of the best restaurants.

The street art of Candelaria is world-famous. After an incident in 2011 when a police officer shot a graffiti artist, the city legalized street art — since then, local and international artists have turned the walls into an open-air gallery. Free walking tours lead to the best works.

★★★ Museo del Oro (Gold Museum)

Bogotá's Gold Museum is one of South America's most significant museums and the world's largest collection of pre-Columbian gold. Over 55,000 gold pieces and 30,000 other artifacts from the Muisca, Quimbaya, Calima, Tairona, and other peoples are displayed on four floors.

The absolute highlight: The Gold Room on the third floor. You enter a darkened vault, the door closes — and suddenly thousands of gold pieces shine in the light. A magical moment. The most famous piece: the Balsa Muisca — a gold raft depicting the legend of El Dorado.

Carrera 6 No. 15-88, La Candelaria. Admission: 5,000 COP (approx. 1.20€), free on Sundays! Tue–Sat 9:00–18:00, Sun 10:00–16:00. Closed on Mondays. Audioguide available. Duration: 2–3 hours.

★★★ Museo Botero

Fernando Botero, Colombia's most famous artist, gifted his hometown a collection of 208 artworks — his own works as well as masterpieces from his private collection: Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Renoir, Monet, Giacometti. The exhibition is housed in a beautiful colonial building and is completely free.

Botero's distinctive "plump figures" — from the Mona Lisa to matadors — are humorous, powerful, and deeply Colombian. A museum visit that's fun, even if you're not an art expert.

Calle 11 No. 4-41, La Candelaria. Free admission! Mon–Sat 9:00–19:00, Sun 10:00–17:00. Duration: 1–1.5 hours.

★★ Plaza de Bolívar

The central square of Colombia — here stands the statue of Simón Bolívar, the liberator of South America. Framed by monumental buildings: the Capitol (Congress), the Palace of Justice (Supreme Court, partially destroyed in 1985 during the storming by M-19 guerrillas), the Cathedral Primada, and the City Hall. Busy on weekdays, quieter on Sundays.

★★ Museo Nacional

Colombia's oldest and largest museum, housed in a former prison (Panóptico). The collection spans the entire history of the country — from pre-Columbian cultures through the colonial period to modern times. Particularly noteworthy: the ethnographic department and the paintings of the Colombian independence movement.

Carrera 7 No. 28-66. 4,000 COP (1€), free on Sundays. Tue–Sat 10:00–18:00, Sun 10:00–17:00.