Bolívar statue
The liberator.
Javierleiva — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rikimedia — CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Police of Colombia — CC BY-SA 2.0
Bogotá's main square and Colombia's political heart, a wide stone-paved plaza with a bronze statue of Simón Bolívar, liberator of Colombia and several other South American countries, at its centre. The country's most important buildings surround it. On the south side stands the National Capitol, home of Congress, with its columned stone façade; on the north the Palace of Justice; on the west the French-style city hall; and on the east the great cathedral. Two blocks away is the presidential palace, Casa de Nariño. The square is lively all day: big flocks of pigeons, sellers of corn and sweets, roving photographers, and sometimes gatherings, celebrations and protests. Most tours of nearby La Candelaria start here. Watch for pickpockets and pushy vendors in crowds, and keep away from large gatherings or protests if there are any. Bogotá sits at about 2,600 metres, so take the first day easy and drink plenty of water.
The liberator.
Home of Congress.
Big flocks.
Between Carreras 7 and 8 and Calles 10 and 11, central Bogotá
The National Capitol (Congress), the Palace of Justice, city hall and the cathedral, with the presidential palace two blocks away.
