Bogotá, Capital city in Eastern Cordillera, Colombia
Description
Bogotá is the capital of Colombia and lies on a high plateau surrounded by green mountains that sometimes disappear into clouds. Brick buildings stand next to glass facades and narrow streets lead from modern neighborhoods to older zones with low houses and painted walls.
History
Spanish conquerors founded the settlement in 1538 on the site of Bacatá, the main center of the Chibcha people. Centuries later it became the political center after independence from colonial rule in the early 19th century.
Culture
On Sundays the Carrera Séptima closes to cars and cyclists share the road with families walking or jogging together. In the barrios people hang out in small cafés where tinto coffee comes in tiny cups and conversations get loud and animated.
Practical
The TransMilenio runs on dedicated lanes through the city connecting terminals with residential areas and the airport. Mornings and evenings get crowded on buses and roads so plan extra time if you need to move around.
Did you know?
The city sits almost exactly on the equator but because of the altitude over 2600 meters (8500 feet) the weather stays cool and mild all year. Locals often say you can experience all four seasons in a single day especially when rain comes suddenly and then disappears again.
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Monserrate
3 km
Plaza de Bolívar
1.4 km
Gold Museum
1.4 km
BD Bacatá
1.4 km
Casa de Nariño
1.7 km
Torre Colpatria
1.3 km
Colombian National Museum
1.6 km
Torres Atrio
1.2 km
Gold Museum
1.4 km
Simon Bolivar Park
5.5 km
Bogotá Botanical Garden
6.8 km
National Capitol
1.5 km
Primary Cathedral of Bogotá
1.5 km
Museo de la Independencia Casa del Florero
1.5 km
Basílica del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Bogotá
843 m
Palace of Justice of Colombia
1.4 kmSt. Bartholomew Major College
1.6 km
Botero Museum
1.7 km
Monserrate Sanctuary
3 km
Salitre Magico
6.6 km
Coliseo Live
15.3 km
Maloka Museum
5.9 km
Guadalupe Hill
3.6 km
Forest Reserve Thomas van der Hammen
18.3 km
Terminal Puente Aéreo
11 km
General Archive of the Nation
1.8 km
Palacio Liévano
1.4 km
Biblioteca Pública Virgilio Barco
5.2 km
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