Bolívar Square

Bolívar Square

The Bolívar Square is one of the most emblematic gathering places for Colombians, a space for social and political demonstrations, cultural enjoyment, tourism, artistic expression, religious congregation, and a historical and heritage landmark par excellence in both Bogotá and Colombia. It is the most important and historic square in the city. Its construction began under the Spanish in 1539, and the first houses of Bogotá were built around it. The most significant historical event that took place here was the reception of Simón Bolívar and the Liberating Army in 1819, as they triumphantly arrived after the Battle of Boyacá. 

The square is where, unlike anywhere else in the country, the powers of the State and civil society come together: on the west side, the executive branch, represented by the Liévano Building, home to the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá; on the south side, the legislative branch, represented by the National Capitol, seat of the Congress of the Republic; on the north side, the judicial branch, represented by the Palace of Justice, headquarters of the High Courts, the Council of State, and the Superior Council of the Judiciary; and on the east side, civil society, represented by the ecclesiastical complex housing the Primatial Cathedral of Colombia, the Chapter House, the Sanctuary Chapel, and the Cardinal’s Palace. Likewise, on the southeastern corner stands the Museum of Independence – Casa del Florero, in memory of the Cry of Independence, the founding moment of the Colombian Republic. 

Declared a National Cultural Heritage Site in 1959, it is part of Bogotá’s Historic Center, designated a National Monument in 1963.