11 Best Sights in Bogotá, Colombia

In 2000, world-famous artist Fernando Botero made headlines when he donated dozens of works from his private collection to Colombia. Botero's artwork interprets his subjects from a distinctly Latin American standpoint—Colombians affectionately refer to him as "the man who paints fat people." Many of his subjects are well-known in Colombia, especially in his native Medellín. The collection includes 123 of his own paintings, sculptures, and drawings. Equally impressive are his donation of 85 original works of renowned European and North American artists. This part of the collection, practically a review of art history since the late 19th century, includes original pieces by Corot, Monet, Matisse, Picasso, Dalí, Chagall, Bacon, and de Kooning.

The modern Luis Ángel Arango Library, one of many cultural institutions in the capital funded by the state bank, sponsors changing international art exhibits. It's also known for its occasional chamber music concerts, which are listed in the local newspapers.

The former national mint displays coins whose gold content was secretly reduced by the king of Spain, slugs made by revolutionaries from empty cartridges, and currency minted for use exclusively in Colombia's former leper colonies. This museum is part of the complex that houses the Museo Botero and the Colección de Arte del Banco de la República.

The earliest mentions of this building date back to the mid-1700s, most notably as the home of Antonio Nariño, considered one of Colombia’s first intellectuals and libertarians. The building was officially nominated as the Presidential Palace in 1885 and was rebuilt in large part in 1904 to better suit its new status. In the '70s it was again remodeled extensively, with only the iconic neoclassical facade on Carrera 7 remaining of the original construction. Free 45-minute guided tours in English are available four times daily on weekdays and twice daily on weekends, but only with prior registration on the official website. No shorts or sandals are allowed, and you must show your ID or passport. The impressive changing of the guard ceremony can be seen without restriction on Wednesday and Friday at 2:30 pm and on Sunday at 3 pm.

A former Augustinian cloister dating from 1583, this is one of Bogotá's oldest surviving buildings. This stunning building, previously known as the Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares, is most notable for its courtyard surrounded by arched terraces and has been run by the National University's excellent museum program. There are six galleries with constantly changing exhibits and events that include Saturday-morning yoga classes.

This large collection, in the same complex as the Museo Botero, is an overview of Colombian art from the colonial period to the present, including works by such noted artists as Alejandro Obregón, Luis Caballero, and Débora Arango.

The intricate carvings on the mahogany altar at the 1761 Church of the Third Order are the most beautiful in Bogotá. A local myth claims that the completion of the altar so exhausted sculptor Pablo Caballero that he died a madman.

The 16th-century Church of St. Francis is famous for its fabulous Mudéjar interior, carved with geometric designs borrowed from Islamic tradition. Its huge gilded altar is shaped like an amphitheater and has shell-top niches.

This simple two-aisle church built by Franciscan monks in the early 17th century once stood on a quiet hacienda on the outskirts of colonial Bogotá. Trees and pastures have been replaced by the towering offices of Bogotá's "Little Manhattan." Both the church and its beautiful statue of the Virgin of the Fields, with her crown of intricate gold and silver filigree work, are homages to the city's bucolic past.

The striking building that houses the National Museum was a prison until 1946; some parts, particularly the narrow top-floor galleries, maintain a sinister air. Designed by English architect Thomas Reed, the museum is arranged to give you a history of Colombia. Everything from ancient artifacts to contemporary art is on display, including works by Fernando Botero and Alejandro Obregón. The first-floor gallery is devoted to changing national and international exhibitions. There's also a café and bookstore. There's a free, hour-long English tour on Wednesday at 3 pm; longer tours can be arranged for a fee with advance booking.

Surrounded by stately structures, this square marks the spot where Bogotá was declared the seat of New Granada's colonial government. Today it's popular with photographers snapping pictures, unemployed men intermittently snoozing and chatting, street theater groups performing for a few hundred pesos, and children who never seem to grow bored with chasing pigeons. The Capitolio Nacional, Alcaldía Municipal, and Palacio de Justicia are not open to the public.

On the plaza's east side, the Catedral Primada de Colombia (officially the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception) was only completed three centuries after construction began in 1565 owing to a series of misfortunes—including the disastrous earthquake of 1785. Its French baroque facade is made from locally mined sandstone. The expansive windows give the immense interior a light, airy feel, even on one of Bogotá's many gray rainy-season days. The ornate altar with gold leaf over heavily carved wood sharply contrasts with the lack of ornamentation elsewhere. In one of the side chapels lies conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada's tomb. The church is open Monday through Saturday. Next door, in the Capilla del Sagrario, is an exquisite baldacchino, a smaller version of the ornate canopy structure in St. Peter's in Rome. The Sanctuary Chapel, open daily, also has a splendid collection of paintings, including works by the Taller de Figueroa and Gregorio Vasquez.