Bogotá is the capital and largest city of Colombia, situated on a high plateau in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of over 2,600 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest-altitude capitals in the world. Spanish conquistador «Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada» founded it in 1538 on land known as «Bacatá», the capital of the indigenous «Muisca» confederation that thrived in the region before the Spanish arrived.
The Capital of the El Dorado Legend
Ancient Muisca rituals, in which their leader was coated in gold dust and cast into a sacred lake near the city, inspired the famous «El Dorado» legend that drove European explorers to search for a lost city of gold for centuries. Bogotá's «Gold Museum» today holds one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian gold artifacts in the world, alongside the colorful colonial «La Candelaria» district, which has preserved its architectural character since the 16th century.
- One of the highest-altitude capitals in the world, at over 2,600 meters
- The Gold Museum holds thousands of pre-Columbian gold artifacts
- The El Dorado legend arose from Muisca rituals near the city
- The colonial La Candelaria district is one of the best-preserved historic quarters in South America
Bogotá is known today for its contemporary art scene and rich museums, chief among them the museum dedicated to renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero, alongside its mild year-round climate thanks to its mountain elevation.
