Fill out your data to get our latest news and publications








    Five Colombian libraries that have their own story to tell

    Bogotá loves to live up to its “Athens of Latin America” reputation and it bustles with universities, museums, art galleries […]

    Bogotá loves to live up to its “Athens of Latin America” reputation and it bustles with universities, museums, art galleries and libraries, some of the most visited temples of art, literature and culture in the world. But the capital is not alone. Colombia is full of libraries that unite its communities and ignite their love of literature.

    Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango, Bogotá

    The Luis Ángel Arango is one of the world’s most visited libraries, with more than 5,000 people making the pilgrimage to this sprawling temple of literature every day, to enjoy more than 1.3 million books and texts. The Luis Ángel Arango is more than just a library, it’s a symbol of Bogota’s devotion to the arts and occupies an entire block in the capital’s historic La Candelaria neighborhood. Besides its exhaustive literary collection, the library has a near-daily calendar of events that includes art exhibitions, concerts, readings and other artistic performances, many of which are held in its concert hall.

    Photo: Lorna Phillips

    Parque Biblioteca España, Medellín

    Not to be outdone, Colombia’s second city, Medellin, boasts this futuristically designed space devoted to the art of literature. A library and vibrant community center, the Parque Biblioteca España sits on top of a mountain with views across the city, in what was once one of its poorest neighborhoods, Santo Domingo Savio in Comuna 1. The library opened almost a decade ago now with support from the Spanish Royal family and besides a large collection of books and texts, it provides a warm home for a wide range of artistic and cultural events in the city.

    5086626972_edd596618e_z-1

    Photo: Flickr

    Biblioburro, Caribbean Coast

    A love of books can manifest itself in many forms and the people of Colombia’s Caribbean coast have what is probably the most unusual way to access them. Their “Book Donkey” (biblioburro) was created in La Gloria, Cesar, by schoolteacher Luis Soriano, who delivered books to isolated communities from the back of his donkeys, Alfa and Beto. He began with 70 but his library soon captured the public’s imagination and donations sent his collection soaring to 5,000 volumes. Soriano’s donkeys travel the length and breadth of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, reaching dozens of small villages nestled in its valleys.

    Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, Bogota, parque biblioteca españa, santo domingo, Medellin, biblioburro, caribe, Julio Perez Ferrero, Santander, biblioteca public, villanueva, books, libraries, culture, reading, Colombia

    Biblioburro – Photo

    Julio Pérez Ferrero, Santander

    The Julio Pérez Ferrero is the biggest and most important library in the north of Santander, but it was a veritable nomad for years, shunted from location to location following the founding of its collection in 1919. Still, it was worth the wait. This Cúcuta library now lives in the former San Juan de Dios hospital building, a national monument with a story of its own, having been completely rebuilt following its destruction in the city’s 1875 earthquake. Besides its book and document collection, the Julio Pérez Ferrero library is a language teaching center with courses in English, French, German and Italian.

    Photo: Wikipedia.

    Biblioteca Pública, Villanueva

    This public library in Villanueva, Casanare, is an architectural triumph, built entirely from raw materials sourced from the surrounding forests, rivers and quarries. It was designed by four young university students who won a national competition to create a library that was at one with its surroundings. This small town, on the edge of Colombia’s eastern plains, has just 24,000 residents but book lovers, researchers and tourists travel to visit their library, which was listed as one of the world’s most impressive, alongside the Library of Congress in Washington DC and the Sorbonne in Paris, thanks to its innovative design.

    Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, Bogota, parque biblioteca españa, santo domingo, Medellin, biblioburro, caribe, Julio Perez Ferrero, Santander, biblioteca public, villanueva, books, libraries, culture, reading, Colombia

    Villanueva – Red de bibliotecas públicas

    Temples to literature that have their own story to tell? Live this experience in Colombia. If you liked this article please share it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ or any of your social networks.

    You may also enjoy:

    Gabo beyond One Hundred Years of Solitude

    Top five foreign books about Colombia

    Why Colombia is the perfect place to learn Spanish

    Rate this post
    Artículos recomendados
    Colombia, archaeological sites, Tatacoa Desert, Colombian destinations, Tourism

    Five amazing Colombian archaeological sites

    The nation of Colombia may be relatively young but its soil is not. Numerous history-altering discoveries have turned Colombia into...

    Steps to Follow When Visiting Colombia for Health Procedures

    If you are looking for the best experience in health tourism, Colombia has a great combination of top institutions, professionals,...
    Olivia López, creative consultant and fashion writer, in Destination Colombia | Colombia Country Brand

    Olivia López discovers the Colombian fashion

    On her visit to Colombia, Olivia López dove into the national fashion industry along with some of its most highly...

    Counting the uncountable Colombian native languages

    Visitors are often amazed by Colombia’s world famous diversity, from its climates and terrains to its flora and fauna, but...
    Valledupar Colombia

    Vallenato, the history of an entire region

    Valledupar is the hottest place in Colombia, a city built on scorching plains that stretch between the region’s huge snow-capped...
    Study, Spanish, Education, Colombia

    What is the best place in the world to learn Spanish? The Answer is Colombia

    By 2050, Spanish will be the most widely spoken language after Mandarin. 
    Mompox

    Missoma jewelry latest collection “Momposina” is inspired in Colombia and the ancient technique of filigree.

    Missoma -the London based- jewelry brand recent launch is all about Colombia, its pre-Columbian cultures and the art of filigree.
    Learn spanish, Speak spanish, Talk spanish, Colombia, Language

    Why Colombia is the perfect place to learn Spanish

    Colombia is often said to be a dozen countries in one, because its regions have such distinct identities. Modern Colombia...
    Trivia what is Colombia known for? | Colombia Country Brand

    What is Colombia known for? Find the answers to these and more questions you’ve always wondered about this amazing country!

    Did you know that Colombia is the only country in South America that has two coastlines, one in the Pacific...
    Ruven Afanador, Colombian photographer, fashion photographers, Colombian talent, Celebrity photographer

    Ruven Afanador: Colombian Celebrity photographer

    With his dramatic style, full of contrasts, Colombian photographer Ruven Afanador’s work has graced the covers of the world’s top...