From the air, the first thing that catches your attention is its perfect triangular shape. In the middle of Bogotá, hidden between high walls and security cameras, this is this cemetery.
News Colombia.
One of the most symbolic and unknown places in the city of Bogota is the Jewish Cemeterya sacred place where geometry, faith and history are silently intertwined.
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Why a triangle? The symbolism behind the shape
The triangle, in many cultures and especially in Judaism, represents wisdom, divinity and aspiration towards higher planes. Its geometry is perfect, stable, spiritual.
It is no coincidence that the Jewish cemetery in Bogotá has this shape. It is an intentional design that speaks of the soul’s path to the divine.
Furthermore, the distribution of the tombs within the triangle has a symbolic hierarchy:
In the highest area, there are the oldest and most ornate tombs.
The lower areas house more recent and discreet burials, in line with the Jewish view that the body should humbly return to the earth.
a place that few know, but many have seen without knowing
Located near 26th Avenue, thousands of people pass by this cemetery every day without knowing what is hidden behind its walls. From the street, it is almost impossible to see its interior. Only relatives of the deceased can enter, generally on Sundays, and under strict privacy regulations.
Even from the outside it is difficult to imagine that there lie 892 tombs, a Holocaust Memorial and sacred symbols such as the Star of David and the menorah, the seven-branched candelabrum that represents the light of God.
A cemetery without flowers, but full of tradition
In the Jewish cemetery, no flowers are placed. Instead, visitors leave marble stones on the tombstones, as a symbol of respect and permanence. This ancient tradition reinforces the idea that memory does not wither.
It is also common that, in some cases, coffins are not used, allowing the body to return to the earth directly. A body is not allowed to be exhumed until 100 years have passed, and each grave becomes a sacred space.
Holocaust Memorial: eternal memory in the heart of the triangle
In the exact center of the triangle, a monument stands in honor of the victims of the Nazi Holocaust. It is a space of meditation that remembers the suffering of those who fled Europe after the Second World War and found a new home in Colombia.
The Jewish community in Colombia: deep roots
The history of the cemetery is also the history of the Jews in Colombia. The majority arrived after the First and Second World Wars, from Eastern Europe and North Africa. Many of them founded textile businesses, family businesses and introduced innovative business practices.
National Monument since 1998
Thanks to a legal fight, the cemetery was declared a National Monument on July 30, 1998, preventing an avenue from crossing it and preserving its sacred character. Since then, it has been a key point for the memory of the Jewish community in Bogotá.
