Septimazo

If there is one thing that is part of Bogotá’s identity, it’s the Septimazo. Synonymous with gathering, showcasing, exhibition, and recognition, a stroll along Carrera Séptima in either direction is more than a tradition—it’s a way to understand who we are and what it means to be Colombian.

Beyond the fact that Septimazo has precise boundaries between Bolívar Square and the San Diego Parish, sus 23, 4 kms la hacen un camino casi interminable. A cada paso, en cada calle y con cada imagen, que es una postal, esta es culturalmente la avenida emblemática de la ciudad. 

Formerly known as Main Street or Calle Real, this avenue has also been known as Avenida Séptima, Avenida de la República, and Avenida Alberto Lleras Camargo. It was built on an indigenous road that the Spanish conquerors called "the salt road" or "Tunja road," which connected Santafé with the Indian village of Usaquén and the town of Zipaquirá. 

The heritage of Carrera Séptima is reflected not only in the National Monuments and cultural heritage sites surrounding it but also in the diverse activities it offers: games of chance, street entertainment, dancing, food, laughter, and even daytime and nighttime partying.

The Septimazo is also a journey through architecture and history, sometimes colonial, sometimes framed by 19th-century popular and middle-class buildings. In some stretches, it takes on a republican style; in others, it becomes neoclassical, and even modern. It is a stroll of delightful contrasts. Along its route, visitors on foot encounter a vibrant tapestry of scenes, from military marches and political demonstrations to street performances by mimes, caricaturists, photographers, tireless chess players, and impromptu musicians playing jazz, salsa, or indigenous melodies on their quenas and charangos.