Parque Central Bavaria

Parque Central Bavaria is a trendy shopping, restaurant and office complex in central Bogotá, located across Seventh Ave. from the National Museum and in the neighborhood known as the Centro Internacional.

The Bavaria complex has interesting roots. The brewery was founded by Jewish-German immigrant Siegfried Kopp, who built a reputation as a good employer. In fact, he helped create the La Perseverancia neighborhood on the hillside overlooking the brewery for his workers. Today, Kopp's grave in the Central Cemetery has become a pilgrimage site for believers, who call him a saint.

The German architecture is evident on the original buildings. 

The Bavaria complex won several awards during the 1960s as an example of urban renewal.

As I walked through snapping photos, one of the guards halted me:

'Photography is prohibited here!' he told me.
'What possible reason could there be for that?' I asked him.
He stayed quiet, shamed by the senselessness of the rule he was asked to enforce. 'That's what they told me,' he said.

Anyway, see more pics here.

In 2005, Bavaria was purchased by SABMiller, ending 116 years of independence.

A  front view of the old brewery building.

The Bavaria complex's park provides a patch of green near the city's center. 

Nearby, office/apartment towers are going up. Nice to see investment in central Bogotá.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours