Iglesia de San Diego en Bogota (Church of San Diego), Bogota

The Church of San Diego is a historic Catholic temple located in the San Diego neighborhood of Bogota. Nestled amidst the city’s modern architecture, this relatively modest colonial structure stands out as a symbol of Bogota's rich religious and architectural history. Situated between Carreras Septima and Decima, and Calle Veintiseis in the Santa Fe locality, the church has been a spiritual and cultural cornerstone for over four centuries.

The Church of San Diego began in 1602 as a simple chapel for the San Diego de Alcala Monastery. Supported by Philip III of Spain, Franciscan friars settled there in 1606. A legend of a "miraculous" Virgin Mary-shaped stone inspired Judge Juan Ortiz de Cervantes to commission a chapel, placing the carved Virgin at its center. In 1620, Bernardo Sanchez Munoz designed a larger church in colonial style. It became a chaplaincy in 1897 under Father Rafael Almansa and was elevated to parish status in 1929.

During the 20th century, the church lost significant land, with parts of the monastery ceded in the 1920s to the Military Cadet School, later replaced by the Tequendama Hotel. Further reductions came with the construction of Carrera Decima in the 1940s and Twenty-Sixth Avenue bridges in the 1950s. Today, the church, the Nuestra Senora del Campo chapel, and the neocolonial cloister form a historic complex, housing the priestly residence, a central fountain, and commercial spaces.

The Church of San Diego and the Nuestra Senora del Campo chapel, built with parallel naves in an east-west orientation, feature distinctive colonial elements-wooden and masonry vaults. Despite its modest size, the church remains a spiritual haven and a historical gem, offering a tranquil contrast to Bogota's bustling urban landscape.