Plaza Botero

Plaza Botero is the open-air gallery of Medellín's old centre, a 7,000 square metre square that opened in 2004 when Fernando Botero gave sculptures and other works to support the renovation of the Museo de Antioquia. Twenty-three of his bronzes now stand here, many of which had previously been shown in Paris, New York and Madrid, and the square has become one of the most photographed places in the city.

The sculptures show Botero's trademark rounded, monumental figures. Among them are Adán and Eva, Mujer con espejo, Mujer reclinada, Maternidad, Rapto de Europa, Hombre a caballo, Soldado romano, Gato, Perro, Esfinge, a giant Mano and a Cabeza. Walking the full circuit takes only a few minutes, but most people linger for photographs. A popular local belief holds that rubbing the statues brings love and good luck, which explains the polished patches on some of them.

The setting is as striking as the art. On one side stands the Museo de Antioquia, which holds Botero's paintings and many more of his works, and on the other the Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe. Together they make the square the obvious first stop on any walk around the centre, and the museum's own displays help explain the sculptures outside.

The square is a public space, so there is no ticket to see the sculptures. A daylight visit works best, ideally in the morning followed by the Museo de Antioquia, which opens at 9:40 from Monday to Saturday and holds Botero's paintings and a dedicated Botero room.

The plaza lies beside Parque Berrío station on Metro Line A, a stop that makes it easy to reach from El Poblado or Laureles. From here it is a short walk to the Metropolitan Cathedral on Parque de Bolívar, begun in 1875, and a guided walking tour of the centre is a good way to understand the history of the streets around the square. More Botero bronzes are dotted around the centre: the Torso femenino, known locally as La Gorda de Botero, stands in Parque Berrío, and Parque San Antonio holds four more, including the Pájaro de la paz and La Venus durmiente. The square's sculptures are registered in Colombia's national cultural heritage information system, and the city's culture department carries out their cleaning and maintenance.