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59°F / 15°C
(Partly Cloudy. Cool.)
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Bogotá is the most cosmopolitan city in Colombia, and as such, it is home to people from all over the country as well as from many foreign countries. National and international customs and culture come together here to make Bogotá a focal point of culture and entertainment. The city has something for every taste, predisposition and occasion.
Theater
We start our tour with places for theater lovers. A variety of theaters produce dramas, comedies and other theater arts, directed for all tastes and all ages. The Fundación Teatro Nacional has three buildings in the city, as well as several actors' workshops. One of its sites is the Teatro La Castellana, it brings plays, musicals and concerts to the city. Further south, we find the Teatro Libre, located on Calle 62 (at Carrera 10), which runs national and international plays year-round, and hosts the Festival Anual de Jazz. And one cannot forget the Teatro La Candelaria in the Candelaria area. This theater company has taken many of its plays to various international theaters. Other Bogotá theaters include Teatro Camarín del Carmen and the Teatro La Baranda. On these stages, it is possible to see plays and musicals of all descriptions.
Music
If you want musical shows and concerts, Bogotá has many venues that specialize in such events. Teatro Colón, in the Candelaria area, was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. This wonderful building hosts the Orquesta Sinfónica de Bogotá and the opera, among other things. Another good place to hear music is the modern Teatro Colsubsidio. Throughout the year, this theater stages ballet, opera and orchestra concerts.
Museums
As a group, Bogotá's many museums provide information about practically every aspect of Colombian art, culture and history. Try the Museo Nacional, on Carrera 7 (at Calle 28). The building, finished in 1948, was declared a national monument in 1975. Inside you will travel back in time, through the periods of Colombian history, and you will find all sorts of interesting things, from ancient dolls to works by famous artists such as Fernando Botero and Alejandro Obregón. In the Museo del Oro (Gold museum), you will see beautiful pre-Columbian jewelry, etched in gold by early inhabitants of the area. Many of the pieces refer to El Dorado and other legends.
There are numerous other museums with pre-Columbian and colonial exhibitions, such as the Museo Arqueológico, which has murals on its walls and a collection of pre-Columbian ceramics. The Museo de Arte Colonial once belonged to the Jesuits, who were expelled in 1767. It is now the site of several interesting exhibitions: paintings by Gregorio Arce y Cevallos, furniture, books and documents. The Museo 20 de Julio illustrates the history of Colombia's independence movement. To find out more about Simón Bolívar, go to Quinta de Bolívar. If you prefer contemporary art, the Museo de Arte Moderno, on Calle 24 (at Carrera 6), exhibits paintings, sculptures and photographs by Colombian and international artists.
Cinemas
Feel like going to the cinema? In Bogotá many modern cinemas show the latest films. Cine Colombia has theaters in the main shopping areas in the city, such as Unicentro on Carrera 15 (at Calle 127). But don't ignore the less commercial cinemas, such as Magitinto on Calle 29 (at Carrera 11A) and Cinemateca Distrital on Carrera 7 (at Calle 22), where you can see films by directors such as Pedro Almodóvar, Stanley Kubrick, Luis Buñuel and Jean Renoir.
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