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THE PLACE Its history begins in 1670, when the bachelor Pedro de Solís y Valenzuela gave to the hermitage of Monserrate 100 varas castellanas de tierra (Castilian yards of land), that were in a place called La Toma de la Aduana (Well of the Customs). In 1800, Monserrate’s chaplain, José Torres Patiño, sold the property for $120 to the principal accountant of the Renta de Tabaco de Santafé, gentleman José Antonio Portocarrero. The new owner built a country house arranged to the viceroy Antonio Amar y Borbón in his wife’s birthday, Mrs. Francisca Villanova. Of the friendship that the gentleman José Antonio Portocarrero professed to the viceroy, or the admiration that paid to the viceroy's wife, it was the emblem of a Cupid allegory that he made to paint in the dining room of his Quinta with the following inscription: "Loving is my delight", words that some years later had to be change by these other ones: "Bolívar is the god of Colombia."
In the center is the house with their lonely gardens, their old trees that spread their branches and their shades on the solitary corridors and the destroyed living rooms, where in other days beautiful music was listened, in nights of banquets(feast) surprised by the dawn; with its white marble chimney, in the left table, where it was signed the negative to the death penalty reprieve (1828) of the prisoners due to the conspiracy of September; with its terraces that were stepped by the strong boots of the liberators(eminent people, defender); with its bathroom, enclosed by short walls, before covered by climbing, and roofed by the whole blue sky; with its beautiful vintage point that rises on the hill, as a protector; with its bedrooms, formerly perfumed, that saw the hero returning from Peru, passing full of laurels(walking triumphant), and to rest of the glory in the arms of rose of the love (and waiting rest in his beloved woman arms); with its amazing dining room, connected with the main room, and with a terrific view to the gardens, and where, in the Colony calm days, gentleman José Antonio Portocarrero, owner and builder of the La Quinta, participated, with Amar y Borbón, his great friend, viceroy of Santafé, and his wife, Doña Francisca Villanova, of government matters, while, in front of the people, in the background, this inscription shown made with roses of the garden: "Loving is My delight".
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January first, 1810, ten years later of acquiring the Quinta's territory, his owner died and then his daughter, Tadea Portocarrero de García del Castillo, inherited it. Her husband had to emigrate due to the events on July 20th, 1810 (The final battle to the independence). For this reason, and because their children were still under age, the property suffered carelessness and abandonment. The Portocarrero’s were the owners until June 16th, 1820 (When the Government bought the property to offer it to The Liberator as a gift) |
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