The National Capitol of Colombia (), often simply referred to as ''Capitolio Nacional'' ''(National Capitol)'', is a building on Bolivar Square in central

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

, the construction of which began in 1848 and was finished in 1926. It houses both houses of the

Congress of Colombia The Congress of the Republic of Colombia () is the name given to Colombia's bicameral national legislature. The Congress of Colombia consists of the 108-seat Senate, and the 188-seat Chamber of Representatives, Members of both houses are e ...

. It was designed by Thomas Reed.

Murals

In 1938, Ignacio Gómez Jaramillo painted two murals for the Capitolio Nacional in

. In 1947 for the Inter American Conference, Santiago Martínez Delgado painted a majestic mural under commission of the then director of the OEA, Alberto Lleras Camargo and Conference organizer Laureano Gómez, two men who later became Presidents of Colombia. This mural of the Elliptic chamber National Congress Building, made in the

fresco Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...

style, represents Bolivar and Santander exiting the Cucuta congress during the creation of the Great Colombia. The mural is considered the most important fresco in the country and the artist's main masterpiece.

References

External links

Government buildings in Colombia Buildings and structures in Bogotá Seats of national legislatures National monuments of Colombia Landmarks in Colombia Government buildings completed in 1926 1926 in Colombia Tourist attractions in Bogotá Architecture of Bogotá Neoclassical palaces in Colombia {{Colombia-struct-stub