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A brief guide on what to do in Manizales. Whether you’re into history and architecture or want to get in a decent hike, the city has plenty of things to keeps you busy for a couple days.
For more information on the city, my main page has details on getting around, where to stay, and where to eat.
Plaza de Bolívar
Plaza de Bolívar, the main plaza in the city center, is a great place to start exploring Manizales. It was the city’s first urban space, established in 1848 on land belonging to Manuel María Grisales. Commercial activities began the following year and there was a chapel and prison by 1850.
The plaza measures 74 meters on each side and the original name was Plaza Parroquial after the first chapel built in the city. It was renamed in honor of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) on July 16, 1865.
Plaza de Bolívar has been rebuilt eight times since its foundation, with the latest changes taking place in 1983. This saw the side roads pedestrianized leaving only the north and south sides open to traffic. The architect was Ramón Héctor Jaramillo while engineer José Mejía oversaw the project. The plaza is surrounded by some impressive Republican-style buildings.
Bolívar Cóndor
The centerpiece of the plaza is a unique bronze sculpture depicting Simón Bolívar in the form of a condor. Bolívar Cóndor was created by Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt (1919-1995) and was inaugurated on October 12, 1991. It replaced an older statue by Italian sculptor Pietro Tenerani (1789-1869) seen as “out of touch” with modern times.
The sculpture caused lots of controversy for its departure from historical depictions of Bolívar. The condor has an open chest and broken wings, possibly symbolizing violence. It also has holes instead of eyes, representing blindness of life and existence. It’s unclear whether he’s landing or preparing to take flight.
The sculpture is 13.5 meters high and weighs 25 tons. It stands on a pedestal 12.54 meters high with a bronze mask of Bolívar hanging from the front. It has one defective eye and another missing, representing suspended peace and freedom. A profile of Bolívar is embedded in the pedestal.
Murals
Two murals decorate the panels next to the stairs that lead to the street on the south side of the plaza. They were created by sculptor Guillermo Botero (1917-1999) using a ceramic and enamel technique and both deal with the origins of the Colombian revolution. Preludio de Lanzas Llaneras is on the left side while Vientos de Libertad is on the right side.
Adán y Eva
Adán y Eva (Adam and Eve) is a sculpture on the east side of Plaza de Bolívar. It was also created by Guillermo Botero in 1978.
Manizales Cathedral
The most important building on the plaza is the Manizales Cathedral (Catedral de Manizales), which sits on the south side. This incredible architectural gem is the tallest cathedral in Colombia and the second tallest in South America. Guided tours offer the chance to climb to the top of the central tower for spectacular 360° views of the city. It’s covered in a separate post.
Palace of the Government of Caldas
The Palace of the Government of Caldas (Palacio de Gobierno), which houses the government offices for the department of Caldas, graces the north side of Plaza de Bolívar. It was designed by American architect John Vawter to replace an older building that was destroyed by fire in 1925. Construction began under Vawter in 1927 and the project was transferred to Pablo de la Cruz and José María Gómez the following year. Belisario Rodríguez and Luis Salazar were responsible for decorations. The building was completed in 1930 and declared a national monument on November 29, 1984.
Tamanaco Building
The Tamanaco Building (Edificio Tamanaco) sits on the northeast corner of Plaza de Bolívar. It was designed by architect W. M. Halley and built in 1927 by engineer Manuel Rincón. It’s named for a café that existed on the first floor for several years. The third floor and dome were added in 1989 by architect Rubén Coconubo Sánchez. The Republican-style building covers an area of 322 square meters and has 714 square meters of floor space. It has a mixed residential and commercial use.
BCH Building
The BCH Building (Edificio BCH) is the tall building on the east side of Plaza de Bolívar. It was the main branch of Banco Central Hipotecário until its liquidation in 2001. It’s 15 stories high and has a popular restaurant on the top floor.
Alejandro Gutiérrez Building
Finally, on the southeast corner of the plaza is the Alejandro Gutiérrez Building (Edificio Alejandro Gutérrez). It was built in 1927 for the family of Alejandro Gutiérrez, the first governor of the Department of Caldas. This Republican building is 14 meters high and covers an area of 298 square meters. There’s 1,124 square meters of floor space.
Sanz Building
Across the street from the southwest corner of the Manizales Cathedral is the Sanz Building (Edificio Sanz). It was built for Manuel Sánz Montoya in 1927 by Italian engineers Angelo Papio and Giancarlo Bonarda. It functioned as a the Majestic Palace Hotel followed by Hotel Europa for several years and was declared a national monument in 1982.
The building covers an area of 561 square meters and has 2,119 square meters of floor space. The pediment on the corner features Carrara marble statues of Minerva and Mercury made by Colombo Ramelli (1884-1946). Inside are a few surviving frescoes also by Ramelli. The building was restored between 1996 and 1997 and is currently the headquarters of the National Tax and Customs Directorate of Colombia (DIAN).
Bank of the Republic Cultural Center
The Bank of the Republic Cultural Center (Centro Cultural Banco de la República) is on the next block to the east. It’s a nine-story environmentally-friendly building with no carbon footprint. The building is open to the public free of charge and hosts around 600 cultural activities throughout the year. Hours are from 8am to noon and 1pm to 5pm Monday through Friday, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.
I recommend starting on the ninth floor and working your way down. The ninth floor contains a rooftop terrace with workspace and some great views of Manizales.
Heading down, the eighth floor holds the offices of the cultural center while the next few floors contain the library. The library is the second biggest in the bank’s network behind Bogotá. It boasts roughly 90,000 books of which around 10% are for children as well as 3 million electronic resources.
On the third floor is a terrace with a few tables and chairs, while the second floor features a gallery with temporary exhibitions displaying works of art from the Bank of the Republic’s collection. There’s also a space where kids can read, use a computer, and be creative.
Finally, on the ground floor is another terrace, a bookstore, and a few temporary art installations. There’s also an auditorium.
Tango Street
The block of Calle 24, between Carrera 22 and 23, is known as Tango Street (Calle del Tango). It’s lined with a handful of establishments where you can listen to and watch the graceful Argentine dance. You can also learn to dance if you choose.
Casa Estrada
Casa Estrada is at the north end of Tango Street. It’s an architectural gem that’s considered one of the best representatives of Republican architecture in the city. It was designed and built in 1927 by Italian engineers Angelo Papio and Giancarlo Bonarda for Estanislao Estrada, a coffee merchant from Aguadas. The two-story building features wrought iron balconies and a central courtyard lined with Corinthian columns. A cupola tops the southeast corner. The building covers an area of 412 square meters and has 824 square meters of floor space.
Parque Caldas
Five blocks east is Parque Caldas, which is a pleasant space full of trees, a bamboo forest, and a fountain. On the west side you’ll find several small booths selling all kinds of crafts and souvenirs.
At the end of the 19th century, the park was known as Plazuela del Guayabo after a large guava tree. It was surrounded by cobblestone streets. Mariano Montoya and Carlos Clavijo redesigned it in 1902 and added beautiful gardens. They named it Parque Sucre, after Venezuelan general and revolutionary hero Antonio José de Sucre (1795-1830).
On April 30, 1911, the bronze statue of Colombian hero Francisco José de Caldas (1768-1816), for whom the department of Caldas is named, was unveiled. It was created by French sculptor Raoul Verlet (1857-1923). The park was renamed Parque Caldas that same day.
Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
On the east side of the park is the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Basílica Menor de la Inmaculada Concepción). It opened in 1921 and has some gorgeous woodwork on the face of the church and inside. The city’s first bullring operated on the site of the church in 1897.
