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Candelaria

This, Bogotá's oldest district and its historical center, dates back to the city's foundation. Keep your eyes open as you walk these streets as points of interest abound. The district is located between Calle 7 and Avenida Jiménez de Quesada, and between Carreras 1 and 15, and it is comprised of two distinct zones, easily distinguishable by their location and style. The residential sector lies toward the eastern hills. It is famous for its colonial houses with their wooden balconies and clay tile roofs. The once white walls are now painted in bright colors more in keeping with the spirit of the city. This area contains many places worth visiting, including Casa de Poesía Silva, the Palacio de San Carlos, the Casa del Marqués de San Jorge, the Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, the Teatro Colón, and the churches La Candelaria, San Ignacio and Nuestra Señora del Carmen. West of Carrera 7, you will find the Plaza de Bolívar, with the Capitolio Nacional and the Edificio Liévano, built during the Republic, as well as the Palacio de Justicia, the Museo 20 de Julio, the Catedral Primada, the Capilla del Sagrario and the Palacio Arzobispal. A few steps toward the south, you will come across Palacio Echeverry, and Palacio de Nariño, the presidential residence. Nueva Santa Fe, part of a project to revive the city center, lies to the south of La Candelaria. The new neighborhood is a perfect example of late-20th-century architecture in Bogotá. Nearby, you will see the impressive Archivo General de la Nación. Toward the north end of La Candelaria, very near the intersection of Avenida Jiménez de Quesada and Carrera 7, you will find another collection of interesting sites, such as the Palacio de San Francisco and the churches of La Tercera, La Veracruz and San Francisco. Other places of interest include the Plaza de Santander, the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum) and the Universidad del Rosario, on the square of the same name.