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.
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.
