Founded in 1538 by Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada it was originally named Santa Fe De Bogotá. It was shortened to Bogotá after Colombia gained independence from Spain in 1819. With the Constitution of 1991, Bogotá was confirmed as the Capital of Colombia acquiring the name “Santa Fe de Bogotá”, this was short lived with the name being officially changed back to Bogotá before long.
Bogotá and its metropolitan area, which includes municipalities such as Chía, Cota, Soacha, Cajicá and La Calera, had an estimated population of 7,881,156 according to the 2005 census. Bogotá has experienced much of its growth as a city since the expansion of industrialization in the 1940s which encouraged agricultural peasants to Bogotá in search of work.
I found Bogotá to be lacking a definitive atmosphere, consistent of a city lost in translation between that of the developed world and one that is still hanging on to times past and plights of poorer urban centers. It has everything that a western city has to offer but in true Latin America in half heartedly done fashion.
If you like cities and the urban sprawl than you will find things to keep you occupied for a few days in Bogotá, otherwise you maybe struggling for a reason to stay. The old city centre is small and lacks the appeal of cities elsewhere in South America that have retained their colonial centers.
The main square, Plaza de Bolivar, is worth a visit as are the governmental buildings along Carrera 7. There is the Museo del Oro to visit which displays one of the most arguably important collections of gold-pieces in the world with some 34,000 pieces from the major pre-Hispanic cultures of Colombia. It literally is a shining point in the city and is rich in artifacts. The other museums house your typical museum paintings and collections of historical artifacts, if you are interested.
If you are in Bogotá over the weekend and you want to hang out with the locals you will find a lot of going on in the plaza west along Av. Jimenez, with the locals buying up bargains, enjoying the street performers and eating in the cheap restaurants surrounding the plaza.