Colpatria Tower

토레 콜파트리아

A 50-storey office tower completed in 1979 and long the symbol of Bogotá's skyline. Unbroken white precast-concrete pilasters run from the ground to the roof, and LED light shows play on them at night.

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At a glance

Country: Colombia
Location: Bogotá, Colombia
Built: 1979
Height: 196 m
Type: Skyscraper

Quick answers

Where is Colpatria Tower?

Colpatria Tower is in Bogotá, Colombia.

When was Colpatria Tower built?

Colpatria Tower was built in 1979.

How tall is Colpatria Tower?

Colpatria Tower is about 196 m tall.

Torre Colpatria is a 50-storey skyscraper in downtown Bogotá, Colombia, at the crossing of 26th Street and 7th Avenue. It was built between 1973 and 1978, opened in 1979, and is 196 metres tall. When it was finished it became the tallest building in Colombia, and it held that title until 2007. It is the fourth tallest in the country today.

Long rows of white concrete pilasters and thin vertical glass bars run unbroken from the ground to the roof, bringing in ventilation and daylight. Colpatria Bank has its headquarters here, and many other banks have offices. Because it was Colombia's tallest building for almost 40 years and is lit up every night, it is one of the best-known landmarks of the country.

Lights at night

Since 1998 the tower has been lit at night by thirty-six colour-changing xenon lights. In 2012 the Dutch company Philips replaced them with a 120-metre-high LED system that can light the building better and even project high-definition images onto its sides. Because of the lights and its height, the tower stands out among nearby buildings such as BD Bacatá and the World Trade Center.

The building and its view

The base is a square built where two of Bogotá's most important avenues meet. A separate ten-storey building in the complex was built to contrast with the tall tower's height, and it has public and commercial banking offices and parking. There is an observation deck on the 49th floor, open to visitors on weekends and holidays. Thanks to its height and central location, it is one of the best places in the city to look out over Bogotá.

The stair-climbing race

Every year on 8 December a tower running race takes place here. Runners climb 980 steps in groups of ten, starting every half minute. The record time is 5 minutes 11 seconds. Since 2010 the race has been part of the TowerRunning World Cup, a yearly circuit of more than 160 climbing races in tall buildings, and it is the final stop where the winners get their awards. In 2012 it also joined the group of the 18 best climbing races in the world.

Fun facts

The tower regained the title of Colombia's tallest building in 2007 after the Torre de la Escollera was built and later destroyed.
BD Bacatá topped Colpatria as the tallest building in Colombia when it was topped off in 2016.
The tower race has 980 steps to climb.
The LED lighting system is 120 metres high.