History of Bogotá

They lived within an approximate area of 25,000 km2 (9,700 sq mi), which comprised Bogotá's high plateau, the current Boyacá department portion, and a small part of Santander.

The Muisca were predominantly farmers and traders and formed a dispersed population occupying numerous small villages and settlements with wooden and clay houses, called bohíos by the Spanish.

Numerous archeological monuments in the form of stone columns witness the relation, such as "Cojines del Diablo" (Devil's Cushions) two large discs carved high up in the rock within Tunja urban perimeter, which were probably Moon observation sites.

At Saquenzipa, ceremonial center near Villa de Leyva, some 25 large cylindrical columns aligned in the east-west direction stand: from this place, on summer solstice day the sun rises exactly over Iguaque lake from where Bachué goddess emerged as the legend tells.

Bochica, the civilizing God taught them manual arts, gave them moral standards, and subsequently saved them from deluge and Sabana flood by breaking the rock and letting the water flow to form Tequendama falls.

To reach the latter was the goal of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, the Spanish conquistador who left Santa Marta on April 6, 1536 with 800 soldiers heading towards the interior of current Colombia.

They saw crops, trails, white salt cakes and then huts where they found farm fields (called tá in the Chibcha language) with maize, yuca and beans.

On March 22, 1537 the Spanish arrived from the north crossing the salt mine villages Nemocón and Zipaquirá to a place they named Valle de los Alcázarea (Valley of the Fortress).

To the east on the foothills they found an Indian village named Teusaquillo near the residence of the zipa, supplied with water, wood and planting land and protected from winds by the mountains of Monserrate and Guadalupe.

According to tradition, that day friar Domingo de las Casas held the first sermon in a straw hut built near the current cathedral of Santander park.

Such communities marked the spirit and uses of Santafereños, since they exercised ideology, political and cultural domination only slightly reduced when in 1767, Carlos III ordered Jesuit expulsion from Spanish colonies in America.

In 1580 Dominicans founded Pontificia Universidad of Santo Tomás de Aquino Arts and Philosophy school, and in 1621 Jesuits started San Francisco Javier or Javeriana University courses.

By mid-century painting and decoration secularized in American colonies and French style marked government, high Creole burgess-ship and higher church hierarchy taste.

Painters Francisco Javier Matiz and Pablo Antonio García who cooperated with the work left a series of carefully drawn precious illustrations in witness of research conducted.

Famous naturalist Alexander von Humboldt has contributed to the knowledge of botany, geography and geology of Colombia and his name is celebrated in various locations throughout the country.

He however left an imprint followed in 1794 by Antonio Nariño, precursor of independence by translating and publishing in Santafé, the Rights or Men and the Citizen, and by July 20 movement leaders in 1810.

It was by the mid 19th century when a series of fundamental reforms took place, some of the most important being slavery abolition and religious, teaching, print and speech industry and trade freedom, among other.

Between 1850 and 1859 the first effort to research different regions history, geography, cartography, economy, society and cultures in the country was made by the Geographic Commission directed by Italian Agustín Codazzi.

Commission sketchers were miniaturists, portraitists and landscapers who traveled all over the country and portrayed human types, labors, working forms, technical resources, garments, uses and geographic aspects.

During the first half of the nineteenth century, the first republican travelers and other visitors fascinated by nature, people and uses left large aquarelle drawing collections witnessing works, garments, uses and costumes, transportation ways, festivities and forms of life observed around them.

Best known travelers were Walhous Mark (1817–1895) whose excellent aquarelles constitute valuable testimony of Colombia at that time, Alfredo J. Gustin, César Sighinolfi, León Gautier, Luis Ramelli and many other.

During the nineteenth century, despite constant riots and civil wars altering normal new republic development, Bogotá preserved traditions and uses dating back to colonial times, combined with some European influence.

At meetings and gatherings certain foods and beverages became mandatory: chocolate served at night accompanied of home made cookies and candy, and “ajiaco” became the typical dish.

Landscaping trend most famous representatives were Roberto Páramo, Jesús María Zamora, Eugenio Peña, Luis Núñez Borda and Ricardo Gómez Campuzano, painters whose work is preserved in the permanent National Museum collection.

Rafael Pombo (1833–1912) was outstanding American romanticism poet who left a collection of fables essential part of children imagination and Colombian tradition.

Plaza de Bolívar and surroundings lodged hat stores, at Calle del Comercio –current Carrera Seventh– and Calle Florián –now Carrera Eight– luxurious stores selling imported products opened their doors; at Pasaje Hernández tailor's shops provided their services, and between 1870 and 1883 four main banks opened their doors: Bogotá, Colombia, Popular and Mortgage Credit banks.

Newspapers, domestic and foreign magazines, cinema, radio telegraph and telephone communications multiplied and aerial transportation linked Bogotá to the rest of the world.

The Sabana of Bogotá has become a flower production center exported to many countries, generating foreign currency and a work source absorbing a high number of labor.

Faculties of Philosophy, Literature, History, Humanities and Social Sciences are forming professors, researchers, scientists, writers, musicians and cineastes of international renown at pre-graduation, master and doctorate levels.

Thanks to technical advances inherent to large cities and substantial transformation in recent years, Bogotá offers a rich and varied cultural life including modern services as well as traditional neighborhoods.