Colegio San Bartolome (College of San Bartolome), Bogota

The College of San Bartolome (Colegio Mayor de San Bartolome), located in the Santa Fe district of Bogota, is a private Catholic institution with a rich legacy as Colombia's oldest educational establishment. Founded on September 27, 1604, by Archbishop Bartolome Lobo Guerrero and the first Jesuits in the New Kingdom of Granada, the school has operated continuously for over four centuries, making it a cornerstone of education and history in Latin America.

The school is housed in a colonial Plateresque-style building designed by Jesuit priest and architect Juan Bautista Coluccini. It is located diagonally opposite the southeast corner of the Plaza de Bolívar, amidst significant landmarks such as the National Capitol, the Primate Cathedral, the Lievano Palace, and the Palace of Justice. Declared a National Monument of Colombia in 1975, the building is part of the Jesuit Block, alongside the Church of Saint Ignatius and the Museum of Colonial Art. These structures have been carefully restored by the Society of Jesus and the Colombian Ministry of Culture.

The College of San Bartolome has been key to Colombia’s cultural and political history. Its students and alumni shaped the independence movement and the nation, including 28 presidents. It also contributed to founding major institutions like the Pontifical Xaverian University (1623) and the Central University of the Republic (1826), the precursor to the National University of Colombia.

The College of San Bartolome, serving around 1,500 students, is renowned for academic excellence, fostering leadership, and upholding Jesuit traditions of intellectual growth and moral values. As a Cultural and District Asset, it remains a symbol of Colombia's educational heritage and Jesuit influence on the nation's identity and leadership.