Sights in Colombia
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Casa de Moneda
At the west end of the block, you'll find this historic museum, which now houses the Colección Numismática in most of its front two floors. The exhibits (with a bit of English) start with pre-Columbian exchanges of pots and lead chronologically to misshapen coins, the introduction of a centralized bank in 1880 and how the cute tree art on the current 500 peso coin was made in the late 1990s. Behind the coins are the 10 halls of the Arte Colección, reached by overly elaborate ramps. Most of it sticks with modern splashes of oils by Colombian artists; the best, perhaps, are the giant figurative paintings by Luis Caballero (1943–95) on the 1st floor. A bit at odds with…
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Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción
The 18th-century sandstone Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción is the most elaborate structure in town, looking somewhat too big for the town’s needs. Its golden stonework (which turns deep orange at sunset) contrasts with the whitewashed houses surrounding it. The building has a clerestory (a second row of windows high up in the nave), which is unusual for a Spanish colonial church.
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Parque Nacional del Chicamocha
Future parks might look a lot more like the new Parque Nacional del Chicamocha, near Bucaramanga. This for-profit, corporate-run resort opened in December 2006, at a reported cost of US$20 million. In addition to hiking and trekking opportunities, this commercial theme park features dozens of restaurants, cafes, thrill rides, a zoo, cable cars and, coming soon, a luxury hotel complex.
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Casa Anzoátegui
Now housing a museum with a modest collection of exhibits related to the crucial events of the period, Casa Anzoátegui was the home of General José Antonio Anzoátegui, the Venezuelan hero of the independence campaign who fought under Bolívar. His strategic abilities largely contributed to the victory in the Battle of Boyacá of 1819. He died here, three months after the battle, at 30.
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Casa Museo de Antonio Nariño
Casa Museo de Antonio Nariño is the house where Antonio Nariño, the forefather of Colombia’s independence lived until his death in 1823. Nariño was a fierce defender of human rights and is also revered for translating Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man into Spanish. The house has been converted into a museum containing colonial objects and memorabilia related to this great man.
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Museo del Oro
The Gold Museum is in the fine colonial mansion known as the Casa de la Aduana (Customs House). It has an interesting collection of Tayrona objects, mainly pottery and gold, as well as artifacts of the indigenous Kogi and Arhuaco. Don't miss the impressive model of Ciudad Perdida, especially if you plan on visiting the real thing.
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Museum of Modern Art
Opened in the mid-1980s in a spacious hall designed by a revered local architect, Rogelio Salmona, the Museum of Modern Art focuses on various forms of visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography, video) from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Exhibits change frequently, often highlighting Latin America artists. The cinema here screens about four films daily.
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Naval Museum
Opened in 1992 on the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World, the Naval Museum occupies a great colonial building, once a Jesuit college. It features, for the most part, a grand collection of reconstructed cityscapes and boat models from throughout the centuries, but woefully lacks much in the way of actual artifacts (though there are some nice torpedoes).
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San Luis
Located on the island's east coast, San Luis still boasts white-sand beaches and some fine traditional wooden houses. The sea here is good for snorkeling, though it can be a little rough. San Luis has no center and is really just a 3km string of houses along the coast, but there are some tourist facilities and some travelers are discovering it as a quiet alternative to San Andrés Town.
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Archeological Park
The 78-hectare archeological park is 2.5km west of the town of San Agustín. There are in total about 130 statues in the park, either found in situ or collected from other areas, including some of the best examples of San Agustín statuary. Plan on spending around three hours in the park. Guides congregate in the museum’s outdoor cafe, but you don’t really need one.
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Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Amacayacu
Sprawling across almost 300,000 hectares, PNN Amacayacu is an ideal spot from which to observe the Amazonian rainforest up close. About 75km upriver from Leticia, the park is home to 500 species of birds and 150 mammals and dozens of reptiles including crocs, boas and anacondas. And millions of mosquitoes. Activities include bird-watching, kayaking and multiday hikes.
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Iglesia de la Merced
The Iglesia de la Merced is in the former La Merced convent. Begun around 1545, it remains the city’s oldest church. It’s a lovely whitewashed building in the Spanish colonial style, with a long, narrow nave, and humble wood and stucco construction. Inside, a heavily gilded baroque high altar is topped by the Virgen de las Mercedes, the patron saint of the city.
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Santa Fe de Antioquia
Another Colombian town that seems to have stopped dead some time in the 18th century, Santa Fe de Antioquia is in the heart of paisa (Antioquian) country. Cobbled streets, colonial churches and lavish carved doorways bring this 500-year-old whitewashed town to life. Pick up a pack of pulpa de tamarindo, the beloved local sour-sweet candy made with tamarind.
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Iglesia de Santo Toribio de Mangrovejo
Compared with the other churches, this one is relatively small. It was erected between 1666 and 1732 and its ceiling is covered with Mudejar paneling. During Vernon's attack on the city in 1741, a cannonball went through a window into the church when it was filled with worshipers, but fortunately there were no casualties. The cannonball is now on display in a glassed niche in the left wall.
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San Agustín
One of South America's most important archaeological sites, San Agustín is made up of more than 500 statues and stone tombs from a civilization that existed long before the Europeans arrived. Although scattered over a wide area around the upper Río Magdalena gorge, most of the statues are in two main sites - Parque Arqueológico and Alto de los Ídolos.
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Hacienda El Paraíso
Escape the city for a day and head to the old sugarcane plantations to see how the Colombian elite lived in the 19th century. Hacienda El Paraíso, a lovingly restored manor house, has been converted into a museum. It provides an insight into Cauca life, complete with literary connections - it's the setting of Jorge Isaacs' romantic period novel María.
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Observatorio Astronómico
Conceptualized by celebrated Colombian botanist José Celestino Mutis, the 1803 tower is reputedly the first astronomical observatory built on the continent. It's possible to visit Monday to Friday at 11am and 1pm, but you must reserve a week ahead. Email your name, nationality and passport number to museos@unal.edu.co to reserve a spot.
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Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis
West of the Parque Simón Bolívar (reachable by foot via a pedestrian bridge over busy Av 68, then past the El Salitre sports complex), the Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis has a variety of national flora from different climatic zones, some in gardens and others in greenhouses. Airport-bound buses along Autopista El Dorado pass by near the gardens.
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Villa de Leyva
Founded in 1572, Villa de Leyva was declared a national monument in 1954. A colonial town par excellence, it has been preserved in its entirety - the impressive Plaza Mayor is lined with whitewashed colonial houses and churches. Villa enjoys a dry, mild climate and is within easy reach of the capital, making it a popular weekend getaway for Bogotános.
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Santuario de Flora y Fauna Malpelo
The center of the vast Santuario de Flora y Fauna Malpelo is Isla Malpelo, a remote Colombian island that has some of the best diving in the world. It’s a mere 1643m long and 727m wide, and is 506km from the mainland. This is the largest no-fishing zone in the eastern Tropical Pacific, and provides a critical habitat for threatened marine species.
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Museo del Oro y Arqueología
The Sinú Indians, who inhabited the Bolívar region before the Spanish Conquest, were legendary for their wealth and stockpiles of everyone's favorite precious yellow metal. The Gold Museum displays a glittering collection of their treasures and pre-colonial pottery. It's opposite the Palace of the Inquisition on one of Cartagena's most beautiful plazas.
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Puerta del Reloj
Originally called the Boca del Puente, this was the main gateway to the inner walled town and was linked to Getsemaní by a drawbridge over the moat. The side arches of the gate, which are now open as walkways, were previously used as a chapel and armory. The republican-style tower, complete with a four-sided clock, was added in 1888.
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Social Realist-inspired Murals
Thanks to a local law that requires major new buildings to include public art, central Medellín can seem like a vast, outdoor art gallery. For a different take on Medellín's history, check out the Social Realist-inspired murals by Pedro Nel Gómez displayed in two long showcases on the corner of Carrera 51 and Calle 51, just off Parque Berrío.
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Pájaro de Paz
There are three Fernando Botero sculptures in the Parque San Antonio, including the Pájaro de Paz. Ironically, this work was seriously damaged by a bomb placed by unknown perpetrators, which also killed 23 people. As a vivid reminder of the city's hyper-violent episode, the damaged bird has been left untouched, though a new version now stands alongside it.
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Parque Nacional Tayrona
Tayrona, with its beaches set in deep bays and shaded with coconut palms, is one of Colombia's most popular national parks. Some beaches are bordered by coral reefs, and there's some great snorkeling, but beware of the treacherous offshore currents. The region was once home to Tayrona Indians and remnants of their civilization have been found in the park.
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