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El Centro is the city center of Medellín. It contains some of the city’s most important landmarks. It’s also a great place to observe daily life. El Centro is officially known as La Candelaria and corresponds to Comuna 10.
Parque Berrío
The heart of Medellín is situated around Parque Berrío, which is a great place to start exploring El Centro. This park is full of street vendors and is a great place to people watch. It also contains some public art and monuments as well as an important church.
Parque Berrío dates back to 1649, when the first La Candelaria Church (see below) was built. At that time, it was called Main Plaza (Plaza Principal) and was where parishioners would gather before and after mass. Between 1784 and 1892, the park served as a public market and an execution site, and many of the wealthiest families in the city lived around it. It was renamed for politician Pedro Justo Berrío (1827-1875) on June 29, 1895.
In the 1920s, the mansions around Parque Berrío were demolished and modern banks were built in their place, converting the park into the most important financial center of Medellín. It was redesigned in the early 1990s to accommodate a new metro station. Today, Parque Berrío is an important meeting place full of street vendors and is a great place to people watch.
Berrío Statue
In the center of the park is a statue of Pedro Justo Berrío. It was made in Rome by Italian sculptor Giovanni Anderlini and unveiled in 1895. Anderlini used three photographs of Berrío as a reference when making the statue.
The Berrío statue, which sits on a pedestal made of Carrara marble, replaced the city’s first metal water fountain. Before the fountain there was a stone basin that stood from 1789 to 1853.
La Candelaria Church
On the east side of Parque Berrío sits the Basilica of Our Lady of La Candelaria (Basílica de la Candelaria). It’s the oldest and most important church in Medellín. The first church on the site was built out of wood with a thatched roof in 1649 by priest Don Juan Gómez de Ureña.
The current church was built between 1768 and 1776. It served as the seat of the Archdiocese of Medellín from 1868 to 1931, when the Metropolitan Cathedral was completed on nearby Parque Bolívar. It was named a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI on December 8, 1970.
Bank of the Republic
On the south side of Parque Berrío is the Medellín branch of the Bank of the Republic (Banco de la República). It hosts the Philatelic Museum (Museo Filatélico), which is open weekdays from 8am to 5pm and free of charge (as of April 2024). A nice fountain faces the park.
La Gorda
On the southwest corner of the park, in front of the Bank of the Republic, is one of Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s (1932-2023) most famous works, La Gorda. He donated it to the city in 1987. It stands 3.3 meters high and is 2.4 meters wide. The official name of the sculpture is Female Torso and it’s made of bronze.
The Challenge
Finally, on the southeast corner is another sculpture The Challenge (El Desafío), by Colombian sculptor Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt (1919-1995). It was unveiled in 1980 and stands 18 meters high.
Plazoleta Nutibara
On the other side of the metro tracks from Parque Berrío and to the north is Plazoleta Nutibara, with lots of palm trees and more street vendors.
Metro Murals
Under the metro station, you’ll find an interesting mural sitting behind glass panels. It tells a progressive story from one end to the other about the department of Antioquia. The mural was painted by Colombian artist Pedro Nel Gómez (1899-1984) in 1956. It was originally located at the Banco Popular.
Hotel Nutibara
Hotel Nutibara, located on the north side of Plazoleta Nutibara, is one of the most important historic hotels in Medellín. It was built between 1940 and 1945 and designed by American architect Paul Williams (1894-1980). In its heyday, it was the place all celebrities visiting Medellín wanted to stay. Nowadays, it’s a simple three star hotel.
Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture
The beautiful building on Plazoleta Nutibara is the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture (Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe). It’s one of the most iconic buildings in Medellín and was built between 1925 and 1937 to house the offices of the department of Antioquia.
The Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture was designed by Belgian architect Augustin Goovaerts (1885-1939) in the Gothic Revival style. It was built between 1925 and 1937 to house the offices of the department of Antioquia. Construction was halted between 1929 and 1932 due to the Great Depression. The government later moved to the La Alpujarra Administrative Center in the 1980s.
After the government vacated the building, there was much debate about its future. Some people suggested it become a shopping center while others wanted it demolished. In 1986, it was designated a cultural center. A year later, the building was renamed after Rafael Uribe Uribe (1859-1914), a diplomat and general for the Colombian Liberal Party rebel army who fought in the Thousand Days’ War.
The original plans for the building included space for 300 offices over five floors, a large departmental assembly hall, a library, and a museum. The plans were scaled back and the building only has four floors and a central courtyard. The dome is considered an architectural masterpiece and is a symbol of the city. The metal supports were imported from Belgium.
Visiting the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture
The building is open to the public daily except Sundays. Admission is free (as of April 2024) and the entrance is on the southeast corner. All you have to do is leave your ID at the front desk with security. Be aware that the entire building may not be open due to special events, and all information in the museum rooms is in Spanish.
Architecture Exhibit
The first room I entered contained an exhibit on the architecture of the building. It included information on the building’s history and phases of construction, a profile on the architect, the architectural style, photos, and construction fragments.
Rafael Uribe Uribe Museum Rooms
The next couple rooms featured an exhibit on the life of Rafael Uribe Uribe. The first room covered his family and upbringing and marriage. On display was a beautiful wooden armoire. I was also able to get a good look at the dome from this room.
The second room focused on Uribe’s military career. Some of the artifacts on display were his swords and a cannon support.
Temporary Exhibits
A few of the other rooms included temporary art and photography exhibits. My favorite room contained works by Colombian artist Raúl Fernando Zuleta. They consisted of actual historic paintings given a humorous touch with the artist’s depiction on what he believed was happening outside the frame.
Hallways
After seeing the exhibits, I was able to wander through the hallways to admire the architecture from the inside. It was only possible to walk around the first and ground floors. From the windows on the west side, I could get a good look at Plaza Botero and the Antioquia Museum.
Patio of the Azaleas
The final part of the building I was able to visit was the outdoor courtyard, the Patio of the Azaleas (Patio de las Azaleas). It’s a beautifully landscaped space with an iron fountain in the center and two palms on the east side.
Plaza Botero
On the other side of the Palace of Culture is Plaza Botero, which is full of sculptures by important Colombian artist Fernando Botero. It’s one of the most popular places to visit in El Centro and all of Medellín.
Botero created his subjects using exaggerated volume, getting a reaction of humor or criticism depending on the subject. His works of art include sculpture as well as many paintings, and they’ve been exhibited all over the world.
There are 23 sculptures found in Plaza Botero. All of them were donated by the artist to the city of Medellín in 2004. Botero was born in the city in 1932.
The sculptures represent all kinds of people and animals in many forms.
It’s said to be good luck to rub the sculptures. You’ll find places where people have rubbed them the most, but be careful, they can get hot in the sun!
Avenida Carabobo
The pedestrianized section of Avenida Carabobo runs from north to south starting on the west side of Plaza Botero. There are a few points of interest along the way.
Antioquia Museum
The Antioquia Museum (Museo de Antioquia) is the 2nd oldest museum in Colombia and worth a visit. It features several works of art, including many important paintings and sculptures by Fernando Botero (1932-2023).
The building opened in 1937 as Medellín’s city hall. It has two courtyards. One has tall palms and a fountain while the other is used as a café. The building was converted to a museum in 2000.
Visiting the Antioquia Museum
Admission to the museum is COP$16,000 for Colombians and residents and COP$30,000 for foreigners (as of April 2024). It’s open daily except Sundays from 10am to 5:30pm.
Botero’s Personal Collection at the Antioquia Museum
We started off in a gallery displaying some great pieces from artists around the world. They were part of Fernando Botero’s personal collection and donated to the museum.
Botero Galleries at the Antioquia Museum
Next, we walked through the Botero galleries. There are over 100 pieces of art donated by the Medellín native, including sculptures and paintings. Botero creates his subjects using exaggerated volume, whether it’s humans, animals, or objects. The works often evoke either laughter or sadness, or criticism, and many are politically motivated. The other major gallery he donated many works to is the Botero Museum in Bogotá.
Some of the most important and well-known pieces include his depiction of the death of Pablo Escobar.
Temporary Exhibition at the Antioquia Museum
We then visited a temporary exhibition of modern art created by young artists from all over the world. Some pieces used objects while other galleries were filled with graphic art about the sexual underworld.
Other Galleries at the Antioquia Museum
We finished our tour of the museum by going through a gallery displaying ceramic art from pre-Columbian times to the present, a portrait gallery, and a religious art gallery.
Veracruz Church
A few steps south is the Veracruz Church (Iglesia de la Veracruz). It dates back to 1682 and is the only colonial style church in the city. The current building was completed in 1803 and the main altar is from Spain.
Excavated Sewers
Next to the church are the remains of a historic sewer system dating back to the early years of Medellín. They were found during street work and sit under glass for visitors to see.
National Palace
Further down the street is the National Palace (Palacio Nacional). This impressive former government building now houses a shopping mall. It was built between 1924 and 1933 and was designed by Belgian architect Augustin Goovaerts (1885-1939).
It’s definitely worth popping in to see the interior as well. The arches on all levels as well as the skylights in the ceiling and the tiled floor are nice to see. It’s one of my favorite buildings in the city. The only thing I don’t like are the escalators that were added.
Street Markets
Perhaps the best thing about El Centro in Medellín isn’t the buildings or public art, but observing life on the street. Walk down Avenida Carabobo and through the pedestrianized streets surrounding Parque Berrío and Plaza Botero and you’ll see hundreds of street vendors selling clothing, food, household goods, DVDs, beauty products, and much more. A friend pointed out to me that this is where everyday locals go to shop, not in the fancy shopping malls or boutique brick and mortar stores.
Plaza Cisneros
A block west of the south end of pedestrianized Avenida Carabobo is Plaza Cisneros. It once held the city’s main marketplace and is located across the street from La Alpujarra Administrative Center.
Medellín is Light
The center of Plaza Cisneros is filled with 300 artificial light poles standing up to 24m tall. They were placed there in an effort to rejuvenate the area. The plaza is often referred to as Lights Park (Parque de las Luces), and the poles light up at night. The project is called Medellín is Light.
EPM Library
On one end of the plaza is the EPM Library (Biblioteca EPM). It’s sponsored by EPM, a large public utilities company, and opened on June 2, 2005. It contains a collection specializing in technology, science, industry, and the environment.
Carré Building
On the other end of the plaza are two historic buildings. The Carré Building (Edificio Carré) was designed by French architect Charles Carré at the end of the 19th century. It was a symbol of modernity at the time it was built, but later fell into serious decay. The building was restored in 2003 and now holds offices.
Vásquez Building
The Vásquez Building (Edificio Vásquez) shares a similar story and was also restored. It was designed after large dryers from Antioquian coffee farms. It currently holds the offices of the Medellín Secretary of Education.
Medellín Station
Plaza Cisneros is named after Francisco Javier Cisneros (1836-1898), a Cuban engineer who led the construction of the Antioquia Railway. A statue of Cisneros stands outside the historic Medellín Station across the street. It was sculpted by Marco Tobón Mejía (1876-1933).
Medellín Station (Estación Medellín) was inaugurated in 1914 as the terminus of the railway. It was designed by Enrique Olarte and was expanded several times over the following 20 years. The building currently houses offices and shops.
Parque San Antonio
A few blocks east of Plaza Cisneros is Parque San Antonio, a wide open square with a few sculptures.
Down the stairs to the south and across the street is an extension of the square with trees and a fountain.
Botero Sculptures
The most notorious sculpture at Parque San Antonio is dedicated to 29 people who were killed by a bomb in the square on June 10, 1995. The bomb was hidden inside a sculpture of a bird by Fernando Botero. The remains of the sculpture stand as a memorial to the victims while a replica of the same sculpture sits nearby.
Two other Botero sculptures grace the square. One is Sleeping Venus (Venus Durmiente), and another is Masculine Torso (Torso Masculino). Both were sculpted out of bronze in 1994.
French Alliance
One side of the green area of the park contains the French Alliance (Alliance Francaise), which is a French cultural center and a place for locals to learn the French language.
Church of San Antonio
Opposite is the Church of San Antonio (Iglesia de San Antonio), built between 1874 and 1902. The church was started by Friar Benjamin Maciantonio, and was designated an agency of the Holy Land by Pope John Paul II. The church has one of the biggest domes in Colombia.
Parque Bolívar
Parque Bolívar is a public park located in the Villanueva neighborhood of El Centro in Medellín. It’s a short walk northeast of Parque Berrío. The park occupies 2 blocks, covers an area of about 14,400 square meters, and is landscaped with native trees.
Parque Bolívar was developed on land donated in 1844 by British engineer James Tyrell Moore (1803-1881). He wanted the neighborhood to be called New London in honor of his hometown, and its focal point to be a plaza named for Simón Bolívar (1783-1830). The neighborhood was officially named Villanueva, and construction on the park didn’t begin until 1888. Architects designed the park in a French style.
Parque Bolívar was inaugurated on October 12, 1892, on the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. It was originally surrounded by an iron fence. In 1900, local industrialist Alejandro Echavarría (1859-1928) donated a bronze fountain from New York City. Electric lighting was added in 1907. In 1923, the fountain was replaced by a statue of Simón Bolívar (see below). The iron fence was removed in 1934. Both the fountain and the statue were transferred to San Vicente de Paul University Hospital (Hospital Universitario San Vicente de Paúl) where they remain to this day.
From the early 1980s to around 2020, the park suffered from security issues. Thanks to a revitalization program and increased police presence, the situation has improved drastically. Parque Bolívar has recovered to become an important meeting place and cultural area visited by locals and tourists alike. It hosts open-air concerts, street theatre, and other events. The traditional San Alejo Market, a craft fair, takes place there on the first Saturday of each month.
Bolívar Statue
In the center of the park is an equestrian statue of Simón Bolívar. It was designed by Italian sculptor Giovanni Anderlini and cast by another Italian sculptor, Eugenio Maccagnani (1852-1930). The base was designed by Belgian architect Augustin Goovaerts and made of white marble. The statue was delivered from Genoa to Medellín and was inaugurated on August 6, 1923, by President Pedro Nel Ospina (1858-1927).
Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
The Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana) sits at the north end of the park. It’s the largest and one of the most important churches in Medellín. It’s also one of the most impressive buildings in the city and one of the largest brick buildings in the world.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín was designed by French architect Émile Charles Carré (1863-1909) in the Romanesque Revival style. Construction started on January 19, 1890, and it was dedicated on August 12, 1931. It was built using about 1,120,000 bricks, making it one of the largest brick buildings in the world. The two towers on the façade are each 52 meters high.
The Metropolitan Cathedral is officially dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. It was elevated to a Minor Basilica by Pope Pius XII on June 12, 1948. If you want to visit, it’s best to go in the morning during one of the scheduled mass times. It’s not usually open in the afternoon except on weekends and holidays.
Nave of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
The cathedral is on a Latin Cross plan with three aisles and covers an area of 4,608 square meters. 16 large columns topped with Corinthian capitals, 8 on each side, separate the nave into 3 aisles. The columns are 9 meters high and 1.2 meters wide. The central aisle is 14.5 meters wide by 98.5 meters long while the left and right aisles are each eight meters wide.
164 pews were built by Luis Eduardo Arenas in 1928, and an additional 80 were built in 1952 using the same design. The floor of the nave was made in Belgium and installed in 1929.
The 12 chandeliers hanging above the central aisle were made in New York City by Rambusch Decorating Company. They were donated by Colombian businessman and philanthropist Pablo Tobón Uribe (1882-1954).
Transept of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
The transept is 63.4 meters long and 14.5 meters wide. At each end is a marble altarpiece. The altar in the west transept is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception while the altar in the east transept is dedicated to the Heart of Jesus.
Two doors are also located on each end of the transept. The doors to the south open to the atriums on the sides of the building. The door on the north side of the east transept leads to the sacristy while the door on the north side of the west transept leads to the pantheon of bishops.
Presbytery of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
The presbytery sits five steps above the rest of the cathedral. A baldachin designed by Italian-Colombian architect and priest Giovanni Buscaglione (1874-1941) stands 22 meters above the altar. It’s supported by four marble columns brought from Italy. The floor of the presbytery was designed by Buscaglione and made of Italian marble. It was placed there in 1931.
The altar was placed in the Metropolitan Cathedral in 1923 and 1924. It’s made of white Carrara marble and has a frame of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci carved in front. The altar is four meters long by 1.18 meters wide and 1 ½ meters high. It weighs 18 tons.
The episcopal seat was originally made of wood and replaced with the current seat in 1940. It was designed by Hermenegildo Bibolotti. It’s 5.4 meters high and 4.1 meters wide. The choir stalls behind the altar were designed by Buscaglione while the episcopal throne by Luis Eduardo Arenas. They were built between 1928 and 1932, mostly of black cedar and without any nails or screws. There are 32 chairs in the first row and 22 in the second row, divided only by the episcopal throne in the center.
Other Features of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín
The stained glass windows were designed by Buscaglione and built in Spain. There are 76 in total and they arrived in Medellín in 1921. The organ was built in Germany by E. F. Walcker & Cie. in 1932 and installed by Oskar Binder (1911-1990) a year later. The pulpit was designed by Buscaglione and installed in 1930. The holy water fonts were built in Italy and placed in the cathedral in 1940. The Stations of the Cross were built in 1937 using marble and Venetian mosaics.
Finally, there’s a small museum on the northwest corner of the building that’s not open to the public. It contains about 40 paintings from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and 15 sculptures from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Home of Pastor Restrepo Maya
Finally, on the southwest corner of Parque Bolívar is the home of Pastor Restrepo Maya (1839-1909), a local industrialist and photographer. Built around 1872 and designed by architect Juan Lalinde Lema, it’s one of the oldest and most important historic homes in Medellín. It predates the park and cathedral. Unfortunately, the ground floor has been completely mutilated to accommodate shops. When I walked by, the upper floor contained an exhibition of photos by Restrepo but I was unable to visit.
Prado
Prado is a neighborhood in the northern section of El Centro in Medellín. Its architecture is considered important to the city’s heritage. Although Prado is only a few blocks north of Parque Bolívar, there’s not much of a reason to go out of your way to see it. There are only a few minor points of interest.
Prado was developed in 1926 by urban planner Ricardo Olano. It first hosted the business elite, who built their houses in European and American styles with large front yards. The face of the neighborhood began to change as these wealthy residents left for more modern and luxurious properties in Laureles and El Poblado. Today, there are 261 properties in Prado under protection as heritage properties.
Egyptian Palace
One of the most eccentric buildings in Medellín is the Egyptian Palace (Palacio Egipcio). It was the home of the city’s first ophthalmologist and egyptologist, Fernando Estrada.
Inspired by books, notes, objects, and ideas he brought from Egypt, Estrada commissioned architect Nel Rodríguez to design the home. Construction began in 1928 and took 12 years to complete. When it was finished, the Egyptian Palace became an amazing recreation of ancient Egyptian architecture. There was even a local legend that a bust of Queen Nefertiti used by Estrada as a decoration was an original, while the one at the Neues Museum in Berlin was actually a fake!
Estrada and his wife, who had 14 children, lived in the house until his death in 1973. After that, the house served as a school, restaurant, and event center. It’s currently a museum featuring rotating exhibitions about ancient Egyptian art and culture, academic seminars, and more. Unfortunately, it was closed when I walked by, but I’ll try to visit on my next trip to Medellín.
Prado Theatre
A couple blocks away is a mansion housing the Prado Theatre (Teatro Prado), home of El Águila Descalza, a local comedic theatre group created in 1980. It was built in 1916 by Heliodoro Medina, one of the city’s first industrialists, and was originally known as Palacio Medina. The architect was his brother, Tulio Medina, who designed it in the Palladian style. In 1919, it won an award for the most beautiful façade in Medellín. The mansion was purchased in 1922 by Carlos Cipriano Rodríguez, whose family lived there for the next six decades.
In 1988, El Águila Descalza acquired the mansion and converted it into a theatre that can hold 460 people. Other spaces are used for exhibitions, meetings, seminars, and other programs. Around 200 events are held there annually.
Memory Museum
The Memory Museum (Museo Casa de la Memoria) is one of Medellín’s most moving attractions. It opened in 2014 to commemorate the people who lost their lives during the many years of violence in the Antioquia department. It’s one of the most important museums you can visit in all of Colombia.
Visiting the Memory Museum
Admission to the museum is free (as of April 2024) and it’s open daily except Mondays. The only drawback for visitors is that just about everything is in Spanish, but you can download an audioguide. You can also schedule a free guided tour in English at least two weeks in advance.
The museum is located in Barrio Boston, which is in the eastern part of El Centro. It’s quite far from many other attractions so a taxi is recommended.
Exhibits at the Memory Museum
The museum has excellent hands-on displays and state-of-the-art technology using photographs and videos to tell heartbreaking personal stories of people directly affected by violence and paramilitary groups. A wall of touch screens with newspaper clippings and videos dating back to the beginning of violent conflict in Colombia was the most interesting part of the museum for me.
I was particularly moved by the responses given by children to define certain words, such as love, death, violence, police, and politician.
Special Exhibitions at the Memory Museum
One special exhibition on display during my visit included important items used by former paramilitaries after they gave up their life of violence. Along with a short life story, the subjects explained the reason the items they chose were important to them.
Another exhibition asked visitors to write their ideas of peace in Colombia, and yet another used modern art to show the effects of violence and promote peace.
