Timeline of Bogotá

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Bogotá, Colombia.

Prehistory

 * The area around Bogotá was inhabited since the late Pleistocene, with sites El Abra (12,500 BP), Aguazuque and Tequendama as earliest evidences of inhabitation

Pre-conquest

 * <1537 - Bogotá and its surroundings was called Bacatá by the Muisca who inhabited the Bogotá savanna and were organised in their loose Muisca Confederation

16th century

 * 1538 - Santa Fe de Bogotá founded by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada.
 * 1539 - 27 April: Municipal council in session
 * 1540 - City status granted by Charles I of the Spanish Empire
 * 1549 - City becomes capital of the New Kingdom of Granada
 * 1550 - Santo Domingo convent founded.
 * 1553 - Main Plaza relocated
 * 1557 - Santo Domingo convent relocated
 * 1558 - Smallpox epidemic
 * 1561 - Roman Catholic Diocese of Santafé en Nueva Granada established
 * 1564 - Archbishop Juan de los Barrios gifts his house for the establishment of the San Pedro hospital
 * 1565 - Chapel built
 * 1578 - The entrepreneur and landowner Francisco Hernán Sanchéz, urbanizes the surrounding areas to the river and builds a temple
 * 1580 - Saint Thomas Aquinas University founded
 * 1592 - San Bartolomé Seminar School founded

17th century

 * 1604 - Jesuit college established
 * 1616 - Population: 3,000
 * 1621
 * Mint established
 * Church of San Francisco built.
 * 1635 - Iglesia de San Ignacio (church) opens
 * 1653 - Our Lady of the Rosary University founded
 * 1674 - Santa Clara church built
 * 1675 - Leprosy epidemic
 * 1681 - Typhus epidemic
 * 1692 - Measles epidemic

18th century

 * 1714 - Earthquake
 * 1717 - City becomes capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada
 * 1739 - The San Pedro hospital is renamed as the San Juan de Dios hospital
 * 1777 - Real Biblioteca Publica (library) founded
 * 1781 - The rebellion of the Comuneros (commoners in English) takes place
 * 1782 - José Antonio Galán and other leaders of the Comuneros are hanged in the Plaza Mayor de Santafé
 * 1783 - La Enseñanza school founded
 * 1785 - Earthquake
 * 1789 - Population: 18,161
 * 1791
 * First map of the city is made by Domingo Esquiaqui
 * Papel periódico de la Ciudad de Santa Fe de Bogota newspaper begins publication

19th century

 * 1801 - Population: 21,394
 * 1803 - Observatorio Astronómico constructed
 * 1810 - City becomes capital of the Free and Independent State of Cundinamarca
 * 1811 - Local revolt against Spanish rule.
 * 1816
 * Spaniard Pablo Morillo in power
 * Puerta Falsa cafe in business
 * 1819
 * Battle of Boyacá and the Spanish evacuate.
 * Santafé de Bogotá is renamed as Bogotá
 * Population: 30,000
 * 1823 - Primatial Cathedral of Bogotá completed.
 * 1824 - Colombian National Museum opens
 * 1836 - Central Cemetery of Bogotá established
 * 1840
 * Trolleybus starts operating
 * El Día newspaper begins publication
 * 1846
 * Sociedad Filarmonica founded
 * Caja de Ahorros (bank) established
 * Statue of Simón Bolívar is erected in the center of the Plaza Mayor
 * Police Force of Bogotá established
 * 1847 - Society of Artisans organized
 * 1864 - Medicine & Natural Sciences Society founded
 * 1865 - Telegraph begins operating
 * 1867 - Universidad Nacional de Colombia (national university) is founded
 * 1870 - Banco de Bogota founded
 * 1871 - Academia Colombiana de la Lengua (national language academy) founded
 * 1875 - Capitol building constructed
 * 1876 - Prison begins operating.
 * 1881 - Papel Periódico Ilustrado begins publication
 * 1884
 * Compañía Colombiana de Teléfonos (telephone company) established
 * Tramway begins operating
 * 1886 - Universidad Externado de Colombia and Escuela de Bellas Artes (school) founded
 * 1887 - The aqueduct is upgraded to an iron aqueduct pipe
 * 1889
 * Bogotá Savannah Railway begins operating.
 * Bogotá Electric Light Company is founded
 * 1890 - Bavaria brewery in business
 * 1891 - The Medicine & Sciences Society is renamed as Academia de Medicina (Colombia), (Medicine Academy)
 * 1892
 * Usaquen train station of the Ferrocarril del Norte (Bogotá) inaugurated
 * Teatro de Cristóbal Colón inaugurated
 * 1893
 * January: riots
 * El Artesano newspaper begins publication
 * 1895
 * Municipal Theatre inaugurated
 * Population: 95,813
 * 1896 - The glass factory Fenicia established
 * 1898
 * Hipodromo de la Gran Sabana (racecourse) inaugurated
 * Revista Ilustrada begins publication
 * 1900 - 31 July: Coup

20th century



 * 1902
 * Academia Colombiana de Historia (history academy) founded
 * The Edificio de Lievano (city hall) set
 * 1905 - Population: 100.000
 * 1908 - Palacio de Nariño dedicated
 * 1909
 * Compañia de Cementos Samper (cement company) established
 * Electric streetcar begins operating
 * 1910
 * Exposición del Centenario de la independencia (world's fair) held
 * Javier Tobar Ahumada becomes mayor
 * 1911
 * First airplane lands in Bogotá for an exhibition
 * El Tiempo newspaper begins publication
 * 1912
 * Population: 121,257
 * Carlos Eduardo Padilla builds an airplane and flies over Chapinero
 * 1915 - El Espectador newspaper begins publication in Bogota
 * 1918
 * Population: 143.994
 * Flu epidemic
 * 1921 - First student strike
 * 1922 - Quinta de Bolívar museum inaugurated
 * 1923 - Police headquarters building constructed
 * 1926 - Capitolio Nacional built
 * 1928
 * Bogotá Stock Exchange established
 * Population: 235,421
 * 1929 - Medellín-Bogota railway begins operating
 * 1930
 * (aerodrome) is built
 * The Voz de la Victor (radio) founded
 * 1931 - Santamaría Bullring constructed
 * 1933 - First Juegos Atléticos Nacionales takes place
 * 1936 - El Siglo newspaper begins publication
 * 1937 - University City (campus) of National University of Colombia built
 * 1938
 * Estadio El Campín, Alfonso López Pumarejo Stadium, and National Library building constructed
 * 400th anniversary of city founding
 * Avenida de Las Américas (avenue) built
 * Population: 336,996
 * First (book fair) inaugurated
 * 1939 - Gold Museum established
 * 1941 - Corporación Deportiva Santa Fe (football club) formed
 * 1946 - Millonarios Fútbol Club formed
 * 1947 - Architect Le Corbusier is hired to conduct the city planning
 * 1948
 * March–April: International Conference of American States held
 * 9 April: Bogotazo
 * District University of Bogotá and University of the Andes established
 * 1951 - Population: 648,324.
 * 1952 - City flag design adopted
 * 1953 - Bogotá Museum of Modern Art inaugurated
 * 1954
 * Bosa, Engativa, Fontibon, Suba, Usme, and Usaquen townships become part of city
 * First television transmission is made
 * Colombian Film Archive founded
 * La Republica newspaper begins publication
 * Mass migration from other regions in Colombia to Bogotá, due to violence since the Bogotazo
 * Corferias (Fair and Exposition Corporation of Bogotá) founded
 * 1955 - Bogotá Botanical Garden opens
 * 1956 - University of America founded
 * 1958
 * Construction of the 26th Avenue begins
 * Luis Ángel Arango Library opens
 * 1959
 * El Dorado Airport in operation
 * Corficolombiana headquartered in Bogota
 * 1960 - Population: 1,271,700
 * 1961 - John F. Kennedy visits Bogotá
 * 1963 - Puente Aranda becomes part of the city
 * 1964
 * Population: 1'697.311
 * Charles de Gaulle visits Bogotá
 * 1965 - El Espacio newspaper begins publication
 * 1967 - Bogotá Philharmonic founded
 * 1968
 * August: Pope Paul VI visits the city
 * Simón Bolívar Park inaugurated
 * Embajador Theater opens as one of the few cinemas in the city.
 * Fuerza Aérea de Colombia (national air force) establishes the Aeronautical Museum in the old airport of Techo
 * 1969 - Avianca Building constructed
 * 1970 - Catholic University of Colombia founded
 * 1973 - Population: 2,855,065.
 * 1974 - Ciclovía inaugurated
 * 1976 - First shopping center in the city, Unicentro (Bogotá) opens
 * 1977 - Centro de Comercio Internacional built
 * 1978 - Torre Colpatria built
 * 1979
 * 93 Park inaugurated.
 * Leftist guerrilla M-19 takes the embassy of Dominican Republic
 * 1982 - Military University Nueva Granada established
 * 1984
 * Bus terminal inaugurated
 * Metrópolis shopping center inaugurated
 * Bogotá Film Festival begins
 * 1985
 * 6 November: Palace of Justice siege
 * Population: 3,974,813.
 * 1986
 * 3 July: Pope John Paul II visits the city
 * Children's Museum of Bogotá established
 * 1987 - Housing complex Ciudad Salitre construction begins
 * 1988
 * Andrés Pastrana Arango first mayor of Bogotá elected by popular vote, previously they were elected by the president or governor
 * Iberoamerican Theater Festival held
 * 1989
 * Archivo General de la Nación (government department) inaugurated
 * 6 December: Bombing in Paloquemao
 * Santa Barbara shopping center opens

1990s

 * 1990 - La Equidad football club formed
 * 1991 - Juan Martín Caicedo Ferrer becomes mayor
 * 1992 - Sonia Durán de Infante becomes mayor, succeeded by Jaime Castro Castro
 * 1993
 * Population: 5'484.244
 * November: Bombing on 15th Avenue
 * 1995
 * Rock al Parque music festival begins
 * Antanas Mockus Sivickas becomes mayor
 * Centro Andino shopping mall opens
 * September: Track Cycling World Championships held at Luis Carlos Galán Velodrome
 * McDonald's opens its first restaurant in Colombia.
 * 1996
 * Casa de Moneda de Colombia (museum) inaugurated
 * Paul Bromberg Silverstein becomes mayor
 * 1998
 * Maloka Museum of science inaugurated
 * Enrique Peñalosa Londoño becomes mayor
 * 1999
 * Citytv Bogotá begins broadcasting
 * Louis Vuitton and Bvlgari opens its first boutique in Colombia.
 * Mormon temple dedicated
 * 2000
 * TransMilenio bus system begins operating
 * 24 February: Car-Free Day inaugurated

2000s

 * 2001
 * Colombian Securities Exchange headquartered in city
 * Antanas Mockus Sivickas becomes mayor
 * July: Copa América football tournament held at El Campín Stadium
 * September: Hard Rock Café opens in Bogotá, and Colombia.
 * 2002
 * 25 January: Bombing
 * 7 August: Attack at Presidential Palace
 * 13 December: Hotel bombing
 * 2003
 * National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia founded
 * 7 February: El Nogal Club bombing
 * 8 October: Bombing
 * 15 November: Attack in pub
 * 2004
 * Luis Eduardo Garzón becomes mayor
 * 29 October: Bombing
 * 2005
 * Versace opens its first boutique in Colombia.
 * Bogotá's Carnival resurrected
 * Population: 6,778,691
 * 2006
 * Bike Paths Network laid out
 * Centro Comercial Santafé shopping mall opens
 * 31 July: Bombing
 * 2007
 * May: Inditex starts operations in Bogotá, and Colombia.
 * City named World Book Capital by UNESCO.
 * 2008
 * April: Ermenegildo Zegna opens its first boutique in Colombia.
 * La Peluquería (art space) founded
 * Samuel Moreno Rojas becomes mayor
 * 2009
 * Fundación Capital headquartered in city
 * October: The MTV Awards were for first time held in Colombia.

2010s

 * 2010 - Caracol Radio headquarters bombing.
 * 2011 - María Fernanda Campo becomes mayor, succeeded by Clara López Obregón
 * 2012
 * March: Cartier opens its first jewelry in Colombia.
 * Gustavo Petro becomes mayor
 * Forever 21 opens its first store in Latin America in Bogotá.
 * 2013
 * Google Street View begins operating.
 * Total Renew of El Dorado International Airport.
 * Dolce & Gabbana opens its first Boutique in Colombia.
 * December: Pro-Petro demonstration
 * 2014
 * February: Burberry opens its first boutique in Colombia.
 * September: Tiffany & Co. opens its first Jewelry in Colombia.
 * Population: 7,776,845 (urban agglomeration).
 * Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards were for first time held in Colombia.
 * 2015
 * April: Book fair collapsed by YouTubers.
 * BD Bacatá becomes the tallest building in Colombia.
 * Starbucks opens its controversial first coffee shop in Colombia.
 * 2016
 * Population: 7,980,001.
 * Parque La Colina shopping mall opens.
 * Enrique Peñalosa becomes mayor for second time.
 * 2017


 * H&M opens its first Store in Colombia.
 * Pope Francis visits the city.
 * Centro Andino Bombing
 * Multiplaza La Felicidad Shopping Mall opens.
 * 2018 - The Coliseo Cubierto el Campín was remodeled and renamed as Movistar Arena.

in English

 * Published in the 19th century


 * Published in the 20th century


 * Published in the 21st century
 * (about Bogota, Cali, Medellin)
 * Zeiderman, A., 2013. 'Living Dangerously: Biopolitics and urban citizenship in Bogotá, Colombia', American Ethnologist 40(1):71-87.
 * (about Bogota, Cali, Medellin)
 * Zeiderman, A., 2013. 'Living Dangerously: Biopolitics and urban citizenship in Bogotá, Colombia', American Ethnologist 40(1):71-87.
 * Zeiderman, A., 2013. 'Living Dangerously: Biopolitics and urban citizenship in Bogotá, Colombia', American Ethnologist 40(1):71-87.

in Spanish

 * (Annotated list of titles published in Bogotá, arranged chronologically)
 * (includes timeline)
 * (Annotated list of titles published in Bogotá, arranged chronologically)
 * (includes timeline)
 * (includes timeline)