La Candelaria

Welcome to La Candelaria, pronounced Lah Cahn-deh-lah-ree-ah, the vibrant, beating historical heart of Bogotá. As we stand here on these narrow, cobblestone streets, you can immediately feel the heavy weight of centuries past. …

We begin at the absolute epicenter of Colombian power and history: the Plaza de Bolívar. Standing in the center of this massive, open square, you are entirely surrounded by the architectural manifestations of the state, religion,…

We are now standing at the bottom of Calle de la Fatiga, which translates accurately and ominously to Fatigue Street. Look up the steep incline ahead of us. …

Congratulations on surviving Fatigue Street. We have now arrived at the Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo, pronounced Choh-rro deh Keh-veh-doh. …

We are now walking through what can only be described as an open-air museum. The narrow streets branching off from Chorro de Quevedo are entirely covered in massive, intricate, and deeply meaningful graffiti murals. …

We have arrived at the Church of La Candelaria, the building from which this entire historic district takes its name. The architecture is a beautiful mix of styles; originally built in the colonial Baroque style, it was heavily…

We now approach a site that is often missed by standard guidebooks, yet it is arguably one of the most emotionally powerful spaces in the entire country. This is Fragmentos, an extraordinary contemporary art gallery and…

As our extensive tour of La Candelaria comes to a close, we find ourselves back amongst the colorful colonial facades, the cold Andean breeze whispering through the narrow streets. We have traversed centuries of history today,…