Pedro Medina Avendaño

Who was Pedro Medina Avendaño?

Pedro Medina Avendaño was a Colombian lawyer and poet, author of the Anthem of Bogotá and the Anthem of Boyacá, he was also known as the "Poet of the Anthems".

Medina, son of Pedro Medina Niño and Carmen Avendaño, married Sofia Torres Remolina in 1944. He attended school in Tunja at the Colegio Salesiano, and later attended the National University of Colombia where he received a Doctorate of Laws, Political Science and Social Sciences, specialized in Penal and Administrative law.

In addition to authoring the anthems of Bogotá and Boyacá, he has composed the anthems of his native city of Cómbita, and Sogamoso, as well as the anthems of other institutions such as the anthem of Tunja´s Lawyers Club, the anthem of the Colombian Liberal Party, the anthems of the Universidad Libre, La Gran Colombia University, Central University and the Colegio Mayor of Cundinamarca University, among many more. For his contributions, the City of Bogotá awarded Medina the Civil Order of Merit "City of Bogotá" in the rank of Grand District Cross for Distinguished Merit.