Centro Andino
A major shopping mall and business-center complex in Bogotá's El Retiro neighborhood.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Centro Andino is a shopping mall and business-center complex in the El Retiro neighborhood of Bogotá, Colombia. The complex takes its name from the former site of Colegio Andino–Deutsche Schule, a German school whose grounds were redeveloped for the project. It was developed by the Colombian construction firm Pedro Gómez y Cia, with architectural supervision by Piedad Gómez. Planning and design reportedly took about a decade, construction began in 1992, and the mall and an adjoining business-center annex were completed in 1993. The complex combines commercial retail, dining, entertainment, and office-oriented functions. The business-center portion covers approximately 19,486 square metres, while the shopping-mall component covers approximately 17,316 square metres. The mall has around 205 stores and is positioned as one of Bogotá's largest and most prominent premium shopping destinations. Its tenant mix has included international luxury and fashion brands as well as other retail, food, and leisure operators. The complex has been identified as the Colombian location for brands including Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Longchamp, and Tiffany & Co.; the cited reference describes these as the only stores of those brands in Colombia at the time of publication. Centro Andino's development helped change the character of the surrounding area. Alongside nearby projects such as the El Retiro and Atlantis shopping centers, it contributed to the transformation of what had primarily been a residential neighborhood into a dense commercial and urban district. The area subsequently incorporated larger buildings, including structures reaching approximately ten stories, and became associated with Bogotá's upscale retail and entertainment corridor. The complex has undergone physical expansion and improvement over time. In 2005, a food court was added, incorporating a large structural dome described in the reference material as the largest of its kind in Colombia. In March 2012, the mall announced plans to add 22 stores distributed across four floors, indicating a strategy of increasing retail capacity within the existing complex. Centro Andino has also experienced serious safety incidents. A fire on the third floor in February 2008 injured three people: two through smoke inhalation and one through cuts to the hand. The incident caused substantial damage when part of the roof over the movie theater collapsed, and the fire was subsequently attributed to an electrical short circuit. On June 17, 2017, an explosive device detonated in a second-floor bathroom, killing three women and injuring approximately nine people. One of the deceased was a 23-year-old French volunteer who had spent six months in Colombia; the other two victims were Colombian. Authorities arrested eight people linked to the left-wing urban guerrilla organization known as the People's Revolutionary Movement in connection with the bombing.
History
Centro Andino was developed on the former grounds of Colegio Andino–Deutsche Schule, a German school in Bogotá. The redevelopment was undertaken by Pedro Gómez y Cia, with architectural supervision by Piedad Gómez. The planning and design process extended over roughly ten years, construction began in 1992, and the shopping mall was completed in 1993 together with an attached business-center component. The completed complex brought a substantial retail and office project to Bogotá's El Retiro neighborhood. Its approximately 17,316-square-metre shopping area operates alongside a business center of approximately 19,486 square metres. With about 205 stores, Centro Andino became one of the city's largest shopping destinations and an important venue for premium and international retail. Its tenant profile has included luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Longchamp, and Tiffany & Co., which the cited reference identifies as having their only Colombian stores at the mall at the time described. Centro Andino formed part of a broader change in the surrounding district. Together with nearby El Retiro and Atlantis shopping centers, it helped shift the area from predominantly residential use toward a more intensive commercial and urban environment. The resulting district combined retail, dining, entertainment, and office activity with buildings of up to approximately ten stories. The mall expanded its amenities in 2005, when a food court was built with a large structural dome. The reference describes the dome as the largest structural dome in Colombia. On March 3, 2012, Centro Andino announced an additional retail expansion involving 22 stores spread over four floors. The complex's history also includes two major safety incidents. In February 2008, a third-floor fire injured three people, including two who suffered smoke inhalation and one who received cuts to the hand. The movie-theater roof suffered a collapse, and the fire was later attributed to an electrical short circuit. On June 17, 2017, a bomb exploded in a second-floor bathroom. Three women died and approximately nine people were injured. One victim was a 23-year-old French woman who had spent six months volunteering in Colombia, while the other two victims were Colombian. Eight individuals linked to the leftist urban guerrilla group called the People's Revolutionary Movement were arrested in relation to the bombing.
- 2017
Bombing
[1]A bomb attack in a second-floor bathroom killed three women and injured approximately nine people.
- 2012
Retail expansion announced
[1]The mall announced plans to add 22 stores distributed across four floors.
- 2008
Third-floor fire
[1]A fire injured three people and caused major damage, including a roof collapse over the movie-theater area.
- 2005
Food court added
[1]A food court featuring a large structural dome was constructed as part of the mall's development.
- 1993
Mall and business-center complex completed
[1]The shopping mall and adjoining business-center annex were completed on the former school grounds.
- 1992
Construction begins
[1]Construction of the Centro Andino complex began after an extended design and planning period.
Products and positioning
A prominent upscale shopping and mixed-use destination serving Bogotá's El Retiro district, with a large concentration of international luxury, fashion, dining, and entertainment tenants.
Retail · 1993
Shopping-mall retail
Centro Andino contains approximately 205 stores spanning fashion, accessories, luxury goods, beauty, dining, and other consumer categories. The mall is especially associated with premium and international retail and has hosted Colombian locations of major luxury labels.
Luxury retail
Luxury-brand boutiques
The complex has been home to Colombian stores for Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Longchamp, and Tiffany & Co. The cited reference describes these as the only stores of the respective brands in Colombia at the time of publication.
Food service · 2005
Food court and dining
A food court was added in 2005, broadening the complex's dining offer and creating a dedicated communal food-service area within the mall.
Commercial real estate · 1993
Business center
The original project included a business-center annex alongside the retail mall. The business component forms part of Centro Andino's mixed-use identity and distinguishes the complex from a purely retail shopping center.
Controversies
2017
Centro Andino bombing
On June 17, 2017, a bomb exploded in a second-floor bathroom at Centro Andino. Three women were killed and approximately nine people were injured. The victims included a 23-year-old French volunteer and two Colombians. Eight people linked to the People's Revolutionary Movement were arrested in connection with the attack.
Brand decisions
2012
Four-floor retail expansion announcedStrategyBackground
The mall sought to increase its store capacity within the existing commercial complex.
Action taken
Centro Andino announced plans to add 22 stores distributed over four floors.
2005
Construction of a new food courtOtherBackground
The mall expanded its non-retail amenities as part of its continuing development.
Action taken
Centro Andino added a food court incorporating a large structural dome.
Aftermath
The project increased the complex's dining capacity and added a prominent architectural feature.
Sources1 sources
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