Botero Plaza
Open-air sculpture garden featuring 23 massive bronze Botero works. Free to wander, right in front of the Museo de Antioquia in the heart of La Candelaria.
Explore the Botero Plaza
The Story Behind Botero Plaza
A Gift to the City
In 2004, Fernando Botero donated 23 large-format bronze sculptures to his hometown. The pieces arrived in 2001, and the plaza was officially inaugurated alongside the renovated Museo de Antioquia. Botero famously ordered the destruction of the transport crates to ensure the sculptures would never leave Medellín.
Transforming Downtown
The 7,000 m² plaza was created by demolishing an entire block of buildings. The transformation symbolized Medellín's urban renewal and cultural renaissance, bringing art directly to the streets and becoming a gathering place for locals and tourists alike.
The Palace of Culture
Bordering the plaza is the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture, a Flemish Gothic building designed by Belgian architect Agustín Goovaerts in 1925. Declared a National Monument, it houses the city's historical and photographic archive, a phonotheque, library, and art gallery. Its distinctive black-and-white checkered facade makes it one of Medellín's most photographed buildings.
Highlights
Plan Your Visit
🕐 Hours
Open 24/7 — Best visited during daylight hours
🎫 Tickets
FREE — No admission fee
📍 Address
Carrera 52 #52-43, La Candelaria, Medellín
🚇 Getting There
Parque Berrío Station (Line A) — 3-minute walk
Make the Most of Your Visit
- •Visit in the morning for better light and safer conditions
- •Keep belongings secure — pickpockets operate in the area
- •Stay inside the plaza — authorities only monitor within the square
- •30 minutes is enough to see all sculptures and take photos
- •Don't wander into surrounding streets, especially to the north
- •Combine with Museo de Antioquia visit for a full cultural experience
- •The plaza has an authentic, unfiltered atmosphere — part of Medellín's real character