Located on the eastern side of the town of Santa Fe, in the foothills of the eastern hills that border Bogotá, is the historic Parque de La Independencia, one of the oldest in the city and home to several works declared historical and cultural heritage. It was built in 1910 to commemorate the first centennial of Colombia's Independence on July 20, 1810.
The park, comprising some 14 hectares between Carreras Quinta and Séptima, and between Calle 26 and Torres del Parque, next to the Plaza de Toros, was inaugurated by then President Rafael Reyes for the First Agricultural and Industrial Exposition. It was initially called Parque de los Hermanos Reyes, in honor of President Reyes. Its design was inspired by the Parisian style of the late 19th century.
There you will see a bust of the poet Carlos Martinez, who died in 1903 and was one of the drafters of the Political Constitution of 1886; you will also find the Kiosk of Light, designed by the Italian architect Pietro Cantini, which is an exact replica of the one built in the French city of Versailles.
Due to the construction of Carrera 10 and Calle 26, during the mayoralties of Fernando Mazuera (1947 and 1949), almost all of the park's original buildings were demolished and many of its trees, including several wax palms, were cut down. However, during the 1990s the setting was recovered and today it is one of the main natural and recreational sites both in the sector and in the capital city.
In 2006, El Quiosco de La Luz, one of the few original buildings in the park, was restored by the District Institute of Cultural Heritage and transferred its operation to the Institute of Recreation and Sports for the installation of a “TurisCADE”, an information point that presents the most attractive activities in Bogota.
