The neighbourhood of La Candelaria is the right setting for five centuries of Bogota’s history to rest and survive. On the walls of old buildings and surrounding streets, outstanding events and episodes taking place during this time at public and private level still echo. They are life stories embedded in the city’s official or hidden history. A hidden history at times pervaded with a nuance of legend.

In the neighbourhood houses, the day to day, odd or turbulent, anecdotic or naive past, comes to life, as entailed by the book written by Colombian writer Elisa Mújica: son las casas que hablan (it is the houses speaking out) about imps, ghosts and apparitions upsetting the peace and quiet of the Santa Fe society. Forge, plasterwork and woodcarving workshops of artisans helping preserve tradition through their work, are the dwellers of these houses. Houses were Creole food and confectionery traditions are also preserved; houses home to theatre players and artists committed to the-past, the present and the future of the country.

Places you can see:

  • Santa Clara Church Museum
  • XIX Century Museum Cultural Coffee
  • Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions
  • House-Museum of Francisco Jose de Caldas. Home to scientist Caidas, a national hero
  • San Agustin church
  • Nation’s General Archive
  • Archeological Museum House of Marquis of San Jorge
  • El Carmen Church, Camarín del Carmen

  • House of Viceroy Samano Cra 4 # 10-14. the Viceroy, a conceited tyrant. He won a place in history, not on account of his ability to run the country, but rather for his wrongdoings.
  • Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundation Calle 10 # 3-26
  • House of the Bandit Cra 2 # 10-39. As the story goes, the ghost of M.O. Russi, executed by firing squad in 1851 for the murder in 1851 of Manuelito Ferro, still roams the place.
  • House of Jose Maria Vargas Vila. This is the birthplace of the novelist and writer of “Aura o las Violetas”. The house right across the street, known as el Ventorrillo, used to be one of the many breweries in old Bogota making chicha (an alcoholic beverage made with fermented corn and sugarcane syrup).

  • House of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History.
    Calle 12 # 2-41. As the story goes, one of the old owners of this house, refusing to bury it, kept the lavishly outfitted mummified body of his beautiful wife in one of the house balconies
  • Residential Complex Calle del Sol. Cra 4 calle 12. An old convent, it has been recently restored and converted into a flat dwelling building. The place used to be a dungeon where torture was commonplace.
  • House of Goblin Baltasar Calle 13 # 5-33. The house is currently attached to the San Jose Hospital

Colombia Travel Guide - Tourism in Colombia

travel_peru_icon_tourism Travel Guide Bogota: Travel Guide – General Information About Bogotá – Practical information – How to Get – Tourist Attractions – Geography of Bogotá – Geographical limits and population – History of Bogotá – Government and administration – Urban structure – The urban landscape and special sectors – Layout of the city and street addresses – Climate –Population and Local Time – Money Exchange – The PITs – Orientation – Shopping – Cultural Calendar – What to Buy

travel_peru_icon_tourism General Information About Colombia: National symbols of Colombia – Colombia: living history – Geography of Colombia – Economy of Colombia – Languages of Colombia

travel_peru_icon_tourism Practical information about Colombia: Climate – How to get to Colombia – Visa, Customs, Documentation and Taxes – Embassies and consulates in Colombia – Health and vaccination – Emergency numbers – Culture of Colombia – Measures and Electricity – Currency of Colombia

travel_peru_icon_tourism Tourist Information about Colombia: General Information – Practical information about Colombia – Adventure Colombia – Hotels and accommodations in Colombia – How to Get to Colombia – Gastronomy in Colombia – Colombia’s Best Festivals and Carnivals – Tourist Attractions in Colombia – Foreign Embassies and Consulates in Colombia – Tips and advice for travel in Colombia – Top 10 Colombian Travel Destinations – Natural regions of Colombia – Cultural Tourism in Colombia – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists –  UNESCO Heritage Sites in Colombia – Top 10 amazing places to visit in Colombia – Colombian Cuisine – Tourism of Nature

tourist_guide_peru_travel Travel Guide of Colombia: Colombia Travel Guide – Amazonas – Antioquia – Arauca – Atlántico – Bolivar – Boyacá – Caldas – Caquetá – Casanare – Cauca – Cesar – Chocó – Córdoba – Cundinamarca – Guanía – Guaviare – Huila – La Guajira – Magdalena – Meta – Nariño – Norte de Santander – Putumayo – Quindio – Risaralda – San Andrés y Providencia – Santander – Sucre – Tolima – Valle del Cauca – Vaupés – Vichada