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Puente de Boyacá was the scene of the decisive battle during the Colombian War of Independence. It’s located a short drive outside the city of Tunja.
Battle of Boyacá
On August 7, 1819, at a small bridge known as Puente de Boyacá, an army led by Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), José Anzoátegui (1789-1819), and Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840) clashed with royalists and troops from Spain and defeated them in just over 2 hours. Their victory in the Battle of Boyacá sealed independence for Nueva Granada (now Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, and parts of Peru and Brazil).
Getting to Puente de Boyacá
Today, you can visit the battlefield and see the Puente de Boyacá along with many monuments commemorating the battle. To get there, any bus traveling between Bogotá and Tunja will be able to drop you off. There’s no admission charge, and there are a few places you can get snacks if you need them. We noticed a couple restaurants at the site buy they were closed during our visit.
Puente de Boyacá
The Puente de Boyacá is a small bridge where the battle was won. It’s hard to imagine it playing a pivotal role in an entire country’s independence. The original bridge, which crosses the Teatinos River, was built at the beginning of the 18th century and was reconstructed in 1939.
There are small plazas on either side of the bridge. In the plaza on the east side is a statue of Francisco de Paula Santander. His lancers led the final charge across the bridge to seal victory. A plaque on the statue, dedicated on August 7, 1992, commemorates the 200th anniversary of his birth.
Behind the statue is a plaque dedicated to the British Legions who fought alongside Bolívar under Colonel James Rooke (1770-1819). Rooke was mortally wounded at during the Battle of the Vargas Swamp, just two weeks before the Battle of Boyacá. The plaque was placed there in 1969.
The plaza on the west side of the bridge is the Plaza de Banderas, which contains some flags and an eternal flame. There are also a few commemorative plaques.
Monument to Bolívar
Atop a hill south of the bridge is the Monument to Bolívar (Monumento a Bolívar). It was created in Munich in 1920 by German sculptor Ferdinand von Miller (1842-1929).
The monument depicts Simón Bolívar held up by five women representing the five countries he liberated: Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia (Panama was part of Colombia at the time). A statue of Clio, the muse of history, sits in front holding a manuscript. The four angels at the corners are announcing the battle and the feat of victory. They’re blowing horns with one hand and holding laurel wreaths in the other.
Flags of Boyacá
Near the monument is a chapel and the flags of the 123 municipalities of the department of Boyacá. The entire scene is best viewed from the triumphal arch across the highway. The Church of Archangel Michael (Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel) sits behind the flags.
Triumphal Arch
If you can carefully cross the highway, you can visit a few more monuments. The first is the Triumphal Arch (Arco del Triunfo), which was built in 1954 by artist Luis Alberto Acuña (1904-1993) to honor all soldiers who participated in the Colombian War of Independence. The three faces at the top represent the three principal races that make up Colombia’s ethnic mix – caucasian, African, and indigenous. Plaques on the legs contain verses of the National Anthem of Colombia.
Bust of Cruz Carrillo
Further up the hill along a path is a bust of Colonel José de la Cruz Carrillo (1788-1865), a Venezuelan commander who played an important role during the Battle of Boyacá.
Victory of Boyacá Obelisk
Finally, at the top of the hill you’ll come to the Victory of Boyacá Obelisk (Obelisco Victoria de Boyacá), which was the first monument placed on the battlefield. It was built between 1896 and 1898 and contains quotes by Bolívar and others around the base. When we visited, the obelisk was in terrible condition and in need of restoration.
