Monument of the Flags (Monumento a las Banderas), Bogota

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Monument of the Flags (Monumento a las Banderas), Bogota

Monument of the Flags (Monumento a las Banderas), Bogota

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In the wake of World War II, countries across the globe sought to strengthen economic and cultural ties to avoid another global calamity. The 1948 Pan-American Conference in Bogotá was a major step in this direction, eventually becoming the harbinger of the Organization of American States. The Colombian capital honored this historic event by erecting a stately square where ornate poles proudly displayed the flags of every member nation. Although time has since taken its toll on the site, what it lacks in maintenance, it makes up for in nostalgic charm, garnished with a dash of post-apocalyptic quirkiness.

By: Omri Westmark

Date: 19:55 19.08.24

Last Update: 19:55 19.08.24

Abandoned Places Monuments Urban Bogota Colombia Latin America & Antarctica

Even the best of intentions can sometimes lead to utter fiasco, as was the case with the Monument of the Flags (known locally as Monumento a las Banderas). Once a proud symbol of Bogotá’s prominence as a political and economic powerhouse throughout the region, the monument has turned over the years into a shadow of its former-self, dismissed by many as an unsightly blight on the city’s landscape.

Located adjacent to Bogotá’s former Techo Airport and now surrounded by a series of car-infested highways, this monumental plaza was originally conceived as part of the IX Pan-American Conference in 1948. This high-profile event, was pivotal in establishing the Organization of American States (OAS) and promoting regional cooperation and solidarity across the Americas.

Designed by sculptor Alonso Neira Martínez, the monument comprises 120 statues of unclothed women that in turn adorn 20 Corinthian-inspired columns, each bearing a tall flagpole. The statues themselves, crafted using a reinforced concrete pre-casting technique, represent various fields essential to societal progress, including arts, medicine, justice, and agriculture.

Despite its grandeur, the place has not always been treated with the reverence it deserves. Throughout the decades, it has weathered neglect, vandalism, and the passage of time, becoming both a canvas for graffiti artists and an unofficial refuge for houseless people. As a result, the square fell into a state of disrepair, with the waving flags of Latin nations becoming a distant memory.

During 2009, there was an attempt to regain some of the monument’s past glory when the columns received structural enhancements, briefly reinstating the flags that represented the member countries of the 1948 Pan-American Conference. By 2020, the plaza underwent a comprehensive six-month restoration effort, during which the statues were thoroughly repaired, the graffiti was removed, and the metalwork was fortified.

The celebrated revitalization, however, was short-lived as the flags were removed once again, leaving this gritty place stripped of its identity. The silver lining is that this urban decay has instead evolved into a magnet for urbex enthusiasts and shutterbugs, for whom the place’s current incarnation is far more appealing than its erstwhile era.