The Teatro de Cristóbal Colón can hold just over 1,000 people and is one of the theatres in Bogotá which performs major theatrical and operatic classics before wide-eyed audiences. The building was built by Italian architect Pietro Cantino using a combination of neoclassical and Italian renaissance styles. While the outside is impressive, it is the interiors that truly dazzle; Italian Annibale Gatti painted the stage curtain to feature grand stage characters, including Don Juan, Carmen and several Shakespeare personas. The ceilings and stalls are very Baroque in style, with paintings of medallions and cherubs, including one medallion that resembles Christopher Colombus. Muses grace the ceiling and symbolic depictions of comedy, tragedy, and the four seasons decorate the rows of boxes, too. At 2,400-square-metres, the theatre is certainly a stunning sight to behold, and it’s clear to see why it’s a national monument.