(continuer en français) – Published: April 11, 2021
La Candelaria is the most typical neighbourhood of Bogota, the capital of Colombia. It was here that the city was founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, officially on August 6, 1538, about forty years after the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.
Today the heart of the city is located around the vast Plaza Bolivar, which is administratively part of La Candelaria, but the specific character of the district is mainly evident on the hillside that rises from the central square.
The straight streets climb the surrounding hillside, due to the district’s success as a tourist destination, some streets have become pedestrianised. A special effort is made to decorate the streets, such as these strange artificial trees during the holiday season.
In several places, clusters of street vendors try to profit from the passage of tourists. They are mostly at the bottom of the hill, near Bolivar Square. The quality of the objects for sale is very diverse, mixing good painters with junk sellers.
Many of the houses have a quaint appearance, also geared towards the tourist trade. The colours are more assertive and give a cheerful air to the streets, and there is even a French pastry shop.
The streets of the neighbourhood follow the grid plan of the colonial cities, resulting in straight streets that adapt to the variable slope.
The higher you go, the fewer visitors and passers-by there are. However, the houses continue to display their colonial style, forming a consistent setting, perfect for instagrammable photos.
Halfway up the slope are some more important buildings, such as the Cristóbal Colón Theatre, inaugurated in 1892. Its beautiful classical façade of blond stone dominates a small square created by the receding construction of the Palacio de San Carlos, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The former convent of Saint Nicholas of the Recollet order dates back to 1686. It became a Catholic college and its buildings were later used for several educational institutions. The church of La Candelaria, now separate from the convent, underwent a major restoration at the beginning of the 21st century.
This is the top of the bell tower of the Candelaria church seen from the patio of the Botero museum across the street.
A few blocks away is the Chorro de Quevedo, where the city is considered to have started in 1538 with a small garrison established by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada.
On one side of the Chorro de Quevedo plaza stands a chapel, the Ermita de San Miguel del Príncipe, although built in 1969 it follows the lines of the churches of the past. Around the square there are several restaurants and cafes that make it a popular place until late at night, the most famous being El Gato Gris.
From the square runs the narrowest street in Bogotá, Calle Del Embudo, always bustling, further narrowed with a handful of street vendors.
Whether in Calle Del Embudo or in the neighbouring alleys, arte callejero, or mural painting, takes full advantage of the freedom of expression established in Colombia. It is possible to paint freely on the walls, as long as the owner gives his consent, this is the limit with unwanted graffiti.
Despite its tourist character, the Candelaria district requires constant vigilance regarding the risk of petty crime. As always, less frequented areas and night hours should be avoided. With these precautions in mind, this is the place to go in Bogotá to experience the atmosphere of the old cities of the Spanish colonial period.
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Lookoom 
Beautiful photos! Thanks for taking us to this incredibly beautiful place!
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You’re welcome. It’s also my pleasure to share about places I enjoyed visiting, it is kind of a new visit.
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a colourful village. What amazing hues they have in their paints, way off any colour charts I’ve ever perused for the front of my house! Great photos and a very interesting trip to a place I’d never heard of, so thank you.
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Bogotá is a large city with many recent developments. La Candelaria is the historical part, a district with a hidden charm, but ultimately very typical of Spanish cities of the colonial period. Thank you for your appreciation.
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Pretty photos i was there!! and paternal grandparents born in Candelaria Tenerife Canary island from where the name comes from!! yes!
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Nice to learn the origin of the name, I hadn’t found it. I knew of a church of the same name in Rio de Janeiro, so it probably has the same Canarian origin. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Yes virgin of candelaria with shrine in Tenerife is the patron saint of all islands.
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I guess all sailors of that time had to stop there on their way to South America, hence the popularity. Thanks for the comments.
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yes part of the reason and later immigrant waves into WWII..
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Thanks for the comment, always interesting.
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You are very welcome
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A vibrant place with many colourful murals. Thanks for sharing. Allan
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I’m glad you like it, it may bring a little colour to your white surroundings. Thanks for your readership.
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The white is mostly gone tonight, the sun is shining and my lawn is turning green as I watch. Glad to have the moisture. Cheers.
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This is good news!
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We were there last year..in the same area. I have the same photos of the street art .maybe we could ran into each other.
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I was in Bogota in November/December 2019 and again in February 2020, I checked my photos, I haven’t recognise you on them yet, but maybe you weren’t typically Colombian enough to be in them 🙂
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We there in that area February 8 2020.
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Funny, I arrived the next day!
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Maybe we could have run in to each other..we stayed there 4 nights. I will post this street art photo up now. LOL
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Looks a fabulous place, we’ve read a lot of blogs about Colombia and just get more and more interested in visiting. South America was the plan for “trip 4” of our world tour which COVID cut short.
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I have visited Latin America repeatedly over the past ten years. With a European background, I have found there aspects less present in the North and finally a character of their own made of the mixture of indigenous cultures and the colonial fact. Architecturally, the charm of the old cities or neighbourhoods dating from the colonisation period is attractive and photogenic.
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Such vibrant streets. I’ve heard a lot of positive comments from people who have been to Colombia. Hoping to walk these colourful streets one day.
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The best is surely in Cartagena, but La Candelaria neighbourhood in Bogota also has its charm.
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Bogota looks like such a warm and vibrant place to visit. It seems like there is something interesting on every street, whether it’s a colourful building or mural painting. It definitely looks very lively and a city full of energy.
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Not all areas are equally interesting, but those in the centre do offer a good variety of views.
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stunning, love to go one day. thanks for sharing
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La Candelaria is a good example of Spanish colonial architecture, the neighbourhood retains a good degree of homogeneity. Thanks for your interest.
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