Undoubtedly one of South America's most famous cities, Bogota is the capital of Colombia. Home to approximately 7 million people, Bogota is a vibrant mix of Colonial-era architecture and modern skyscrapers. Once home to the Muisca people, Bogota was conquered by the Spanish in 1538 and became independent in 1819, thanks to Simon Bolivar. Nowadays, Bogota boasts some of South America's best museums, art galleries, and tourist attractions.
Let's explore the fascinating history of Bogota.
The Muisca Era and Pre-Colonial Bogota
The area that would become modern Bogota sits on a high plateau – known as the Bogota savanna – at the foot of the Colombian Andes. Evidence for human habitation in the region dates from at least 12,000 years ago. The area's numerous fertile valleys also provided the ideal conditions for one of South America's most intriguing indigenous civilizations to thrive – the Muisca people.
The Muisca were one of the Chibcha-speaking peoples that settled in modern Colombia, occupying the Boyaca region that would one day become the city of Bogota. The area provided ideal conditions for agriculture, with the primary crop being maize. The Muisca also found large quantities of gold and salt, which became the foundations of their economy. In fact, the Muisca were sometimes known as the "Salt People".
Muisca society was governed by two kings; the zaque, who ruled the north, and the zipa, who ruled the south. The Muisca followed a polytheistic religion that worshiped several gods, including the sun god, Sué. The Muisca also traded their commodities with other neighboring societies.
The Muisca were fairly advanced, developing a sophisticated calendar and creating monuments with powerful astronomical significance. However, much of the Muisca civilization would be lost when the Spanish arrived.
Spanish Conquest and Colonization
Legends of El Dorado, the City of Gold, captivated Spanish explorers during their conquest of South America. And Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada was no exception. Originally from Granada, Quesada launched an expedition in 1536 to discover a route to Peru. He left the port of Santa Marta, on the northern coast of modern-day Colombia, with 800 men and four ships.
However, Quesada's expedition soon heard tales of a society in southern Colombia that traded using salt cakes. Instead of continuing the search for Peru, Quesada decided to explore Colombia's interior, looking for these salt traders. After a long, arduous trek, Quesada reached Muisca territory in 1537 with just over 160 men left from his original force.
The Muisca zipa, Tisquesusa, was quickly defeated and killed by the Spanish. Tisquesusa's brother, Sagipa, became zipa but quickly surrendered to the invaders. The Spanish immediately demanded high levies of crops and commodities from the Muisca. Unfortunately, the explorers had brought something of their own – disease. Within a century, approximately 65 to 85% of the Muisca population in Boyaca had been decimated by these illnesses.
To control this new conquest, Quesada founded a military camp in 1538 on the site of present-day Bogota. The camp consisted of 12 reed houses and a reed church. Quesada declared the colony as the New Kingdom of Granada and named his first settlement Santa Fe de Bogota. The following year, the settlement held its first municipal council session.
The settlement was officially granted city status in 1540 by Charles I of Spain. In 1549, the young city became the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada. The following year, a group of Dominican monks founded the Convento Santo Domingo de Guzman.
Spanish rule continued until the 1800s, and the city continued to grow despite facing several disasters. In 1616, the population of the city was estimated to be 3,000 people. However, a leprosy epidemic struck the city in 1675, followed by a typhus outbreak in 1681 and a measles epidemic in 1692.
As the 18th Century dawned, an earthquake struck the city in 1714. Three years later, Santa Fe de Bogota became the capital of the reorganized Viceroyalty of New Granada. Before 1717, the New Kingdom of Granada had been dependent on the Viceroyalty of Peru. However, administrative difficulties resulted in the separation of the two organizations.
Santa Fe de Bogota continued to grow, with the population reaching over 18,000 by 1789 and surpassing 30,000 in 1819. However, Spain's grip on the city and the surrounding region had been slipping for years.
Independence and Innovation
Political tensions had been brewing across Spanish South America for years before finally coming to a head in 1781. The regional government increased taxes to fund Spain's defense strategy for its South American colonies against the British. The price of tobacco and brandy also rose.
Citizens from across the social spectrum rose in revolt, championing a radical reorganization of social classes. Led by Juan Francisco Berbeo, this became known as the Revolt of the Comuneros. Berbeo marched on Bogota with up to 20,000 rebels, defeating a government force en route.
However, the Spanish signed an agreement that disbanded many of the rebels. Those that continued the revolt were executed, including Jose Antonio Galan. But the revolutionary ideas didn't end with Berbeo and Galan.
One of the witnesses of Galan's execution was a teenager named Antonio Narino, who was impressed by the revolutionary ideas left in Galan's wake. In 1794, Narino published his Declaration of the Rights of Men and the Citizen. The book was banned and Narino was arrested, but his ideas continued to spread.
Spain was also rapidly losing power on the international stage. In 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France, invaded Spain. In response, Spain's territories in South America seized the chance for independence and declared a series of governments known as juntas.
In 1810, the Junta de Santa Fe was created, officially signaling the Colombian Declaration of Independence. However, these revolutionary governments faced their own divisions as competing factions battled for control. This period lasted from 1810 to 1816 and became known as la Patria Boba, the "Foolish Fatherland".
The Free and Independent State of Cundinamarca, centered on Bogota, was established in 1810. The new state was opposed by a coalition of juntas known as the United Provinces of New Granada. The United general Simon de Bolivar successfully secured the surrender of Cundinamarca in 1814.
But the burgeoning independent state faced a major obstacle. In 1816, the resurgent Spanish reconquered New Granada. Bolivar bided his time before launching a new campaign for independence in 1819. At the Battle of Boyaca in 1819, Bolivar's army decisively defeated the Spanish and entered the city of Bogota as a hero and liberator.
Bolivar then formed the state of Gran Colombia, which encompassed modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela and parts of other surrounding territories. Bolivar renamed Santa Fe de Bogota as Bogota, which became the capital of Gran Colombia.
During Bolivar's presidency, Bogota became a thriving post-Colonial city and one of the most important urban centers in South America. A grand building program saw the completion of the Primatial Cathedral of Bogota and the Museo Nacional de Colombia in 1823.
Gran Colombia survived under Bolivar's leadership until his death in 1830. But within a year, Gran Colombia was dissolved due to political differences. Various republics were created in Ecuador, New Granada, and Venezuela.
Bogota and the rest of New Granada continued to go through growing pains, becoming the Granadine Confederation in 1858 before renaming itself the United States of Colombia in 1863. Then, in 1886, the country became officially known as the Republic of Colombia.
Civil War and Modern-Day Bogota
After the Colombian Constitution of 1886 was brought in, Colombia was caught in a political tug-of-war between federalists and centrists. These tensions boiled over into the Thousand Days War, which began in 1889 and continued until 1902. The Conservative Party had control of Colombia's government but was challenged by a revolt from supporters of the Liberal Party.
The Thousand Days War was the bloodiest conflict in Colombia's history, accounting for as many as 150,000 dead. The Conservative government prevailed, but Colombia's economy was hit hard and the country lost control of Panama in 1903. However, Bogota and the rest of Colombia quickly began to recover.
By 1905, Bogota's population rose above 100,000 as the city continued to develop. The home and headquarters of the Colombian president in Bogota was dedicated to Antonio Narino in 1908. The building was renamed 'Casa de Narino' in honor of the revolutionary writer. More museums, monuments, and attractions were built, including the Gold Museum in 1939. The city's biggest park was dedicated to Simon de Bolivar in 1979.
Modern-day Bogota is a thriving cultural and economic hub in South America, hosting millions of domestic and international tourists every year. And as Bogota continues to grow and develop, the people still haven't forgotten the sacrifices of their revolutionary past.
Famous Landmarks
- Plaza de Bolivar – First constructed in 1539, renamed in 1846
- La Cadelaria - Historic center & neighbourhood
- Monserrate
- Convento Santo Domingo de Guzman – 1550
- Primatial Cathedral of Bogota – Finished in 1823
- Museo Nacional de Colombia – Built in 1823
- Casa de Narino – Completed in 1908
- Gold Museum – Established in 1939
- Simon Bolivar Park – 1979