Bogotá for Beginners: Casa de la Moneda

By -
In the heart of Bogotá, just a few steps from the Plaza de Bolivar, you will find the House of Coins --La Casa de la Moneda. Established in 1621, by the military engineer Alonso Turrillo de Yebra, who had been authorized by the King of Spain to create the first money minting facility in the New Kingdom of Granada (el Nuevo Reino de Granada).

It was in a rented house, in what is known as La Candelaria, that Turrillo de Yerba began making the first gold coins in the Americas. The coins were known as doblones. The original ones made were done by hand and each looked slightly different on the edges. But by 1756, the production was mechanized and more uniform circular coins were made.

In the 1960's, the Colombian government began the process of restoring the original mint and its colonial architecture. In 1982, the restored building opened to the public as a museum. There are both permanent and temporary exhibits.

The exhibit that most impressed our boys was seeing a real Pirate treasure chest and original money safes. On the day we were there, we were given coins that read CASA DE LA MONEDA on them. Very Cool!!

The best part is that it is free!!! There is no admission charge. Below you will find the address and hours of operation.

Calle 11 No. 4-93
Monday -Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 7 :00 p.m.
Sundays and Holidays: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays
Photo:

Comments

canadian silver coins said…
Well, thanks for sharing this post.I actually had a great time reading this post.
February 2, 2010 at 7:37 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Popular Colombian Names

By -
Recently, I was asked to write a post on Colombian names, and popular Colombian names. I had a hard time finding a list, but eventually I did find one. According to I.N.E. - Instituto Nacional de Estadística, -- unfortunately, when I found this it doesn't say the year -- the most common Colombian boys names across all ages are: 1 JUAN CARLOS 2 CARLOS ALBERTO 3 ALEXANDER 4 ANDRES FELIPE 5 LUIS FERNANDO 6 DIEGO FERNANDO 7 JHON JAIRO 8 CARLOS ANDRES 9 ALEJANDRO 10 JUAN DAVID The girls are: 1 SANDRA MILENA 2 LUZ MARINA 3 CAROLINA 4 PAULA ANDREA 5 CLAUDIA PATRICIA 6 MARIA EUGENIA 7 PAOLA ANDREA 8 DANIELA 9 LILIANA 10 MARTHA CECILIA Just as here, names go through ebb and flow. Fourteen years ago when we were married, I attended several baby baptisms and met numerous friends of my husband. At the time, it seemed like everyone was naming their kid Juan CAMILO (boy) or Maria CAMILA (girl). I met dozens of them. Then, about 7 years later, I heard tons of SANTIAGO, JULIAN, SEBASTIAN and FE
Read more

Most Common Last Names in Colombia

By -
According to the Registraduria Nacional del Estado Civil in Colombia, the most common last names in Colombia in 2010 were the following. Rodríguez Gómez González Martínez García López Hernández Sánchez Ramírez Pérez Días Muñoz Rojas Moreno Jiménez While this is a list that covers all of Colombia, there are some regional differences. In Antioquia, the last names Restrepo, Zapata y Álvarez are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th most common names and Montoya 8th, while they are not even in the top 10 in Bogotá, Cali or Barranquilla. The last name Castro is the 10th most popular last name in Barranquilla, however, is it not in the top ten of any other major city's list. Additionally, in Cali, the last name Valencia is in 7th place, while it also does not appear on any other city's list.
Read more

La Madremonte

By -
Image
The myth of the Madremonte (Mother Mountain), and I do say myth though many campesinos in Colombia believe in her today, has it's roots in the indigenous cultures of Colombia and is known throughout much of Colombia including Antioquia, Caldas, Arauca, Caqueta, Amazonas, Guainia, and perhaps more departments. The Madremonte looks like a large woman. She has large, bony hands, large teeth and Betty Davis Eyes -- which on closer examination glow. Her body is covered in leaves and moss. Her hair is a tangled mess of plants and moss which often covers her face. She lives in the mountains and jungles, (in Antioquia and Caldas she lives in swamps where streams are born. People who claim to have seen her, usually report to have done so near thickets and bushes in jungle like areas. Others report having heard her bloodcurdling screams and groans on stormy nights. She rules the winds, the rains, and all the vegetation, and her role is to protect nature. She punishes those who invad
Read more