Palacio de San Carlos

The Palacio de San Carlos at Calle 10 No. 5-51 in La Candelaria, Bogotá, Colombia, is a colonial-era building that served as the presidential residence in the early republic and now houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its origins lie in the 17th century, and it later passed through several uses, including as a Jesuit college and a school named after King Charles III, San Carlos, before the state adopted it as a residence for the head of government in the republican period. It is best known for the events of 25 September 1828, when conspirators opposed to Simón Bolívar stormed the palace to assassinate him. Manuela Sáenz, his companion, delayed the attackers at the door and Bolívar escaped through a window and hid under a bridge over the San Agustín river until the danger passed. The attempt is remembered as the Septembrina conspiracy, and several of the participants were executed afterward, including Francisco de Paula Santander's associates, while Santander's sentence was commuted to exile. The palace has a colonial courtyard plan with balconies and a stately republican façade, and its restoration has preserved its historical character while adapting it to ministerial use. The building is not open to regular visitors, and the interior can only be visited on rare official occasions. The exterior, however, can be viewed from the street, and a plaque records the events of 1828. It is part of a cluster of official buildings near the Casa de Nariño and the Iglesia de San Ignacio. As an operating government office it has security staff, and photography from the street is usually tolerated. Its importance lies in the story it tells about the fragility of the early republic and the rivalry between Bolívar and Santander, rather than in any exhibition inside. Guides on walking tours of La Candelaria often stop here to recount the episode.