Golden Views: Thousands of pre-European works of gold on display in Colombia

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The Museum of Gold in Bogota, Colombia, receives 500,000 tourists a year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. CGTN's Michelle Begue takes us there!

This is Colombia's golden treasure, visitors who step inside the Museum of Gold in Bogota get to see more than 33 thousand gold relics from the country's ancient cultures. This is the largest collection of Pre-Columbian gold artifacts in the world.

EDUARDO LONDO ANTHROPOLOGIST, BOGOTA GOLD MUSEUM "We go back in time 2,000 years and all through the conquest where the Europeans found these indigenous societies that used these metal artifacts, for example, to adorn their leaders."

For the past 80 years, Colombia's Bank of the Republic has preserved, catalogued and exhibited these historical artifacts in the Colombian capital.

MICHELLE BEGUE BOGOTA, COLOMBIA "The different exhibits also celebrate Colombia's rich and diverse population that varied in tradition, language and cultural backgrounds."

Depending on the geographical location, the communities in Colombia practiced different rituals, myths and customs, reflected in the relics they left behind.

One of the most famous pieces in the museum is connected to the legend of El Dorado. The Muisca Raft, discovered in a cave outside of Bogota, is small in size, but rich in history. The Muisca was one of four advanced civilizations in the Americas. The raft shows a ritual, the investiture of a new Muisca chief.

EDUARDO LONDO ANTHROPOLOGIST, BOGOTA GOLD MUSEUM "When the Spaniards arrived in Bogota, they found out about this ceremony where the chief stood naked in the middle of the raft covered in his gold ornaments and throwing gold offerings into the lake."

Another special item is the Poporo Quimbaya that dates back to 300 AD. It was the first artifact acquired by the Bank of the Republic for the Gold Museum. The Poporo, which is a device used in the chewing of sacred coca leaves, is now a national symbol.

"These objects have become symbols for our country and elements of our identity. We are proud of our past that we wish to always see as Golden, with the good and the bad, rich in diversity."

Around a half-million visitors come to the Gold Museum each year, and 250 Colombian school children visit each day to learn about their heritage, a past rich in indigenous cultures. Michelle Begue, CGTN, Bogota, Colombia.