Guachetá

Guachetá is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Ubaté Province of the department of Cundinamarca. Guachetá is located at 118 kilometres (73 mi) from the capital Bogotá. It borders the Boyacá municipalities of Ráquira and Samacá in the north, Ubaté and Lenguazaque in the south, Ventaquemada and Lenguazaque in the east and in the west Fúquene and Ubaté. Guachetá is located on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense at altitudes between 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) and 3,500 metres (11,500 ft).[1]

Not to be confused with Gachetá.
Guachetá
Municipality and town
Central square Guachetá
Flag
Seal
Location of the municipality and town inside Cundinamarca Department of Colombia
Guachetá
Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 5°23′8″N 73°41′8″W
Country Colombia
Department Cundinamarca
ProvinceUbaté Province
Founded12 March 1537
Founded byGonzalo Jiménez de Quesada
Government
 • MayorPablo Enrique Quicazán Ballesteros
(2016-2019)
Area
 • Municipality and town177.45 km2 (68.51 sq mi)
Elevation
2,688 m (8,819 ft)
Population
 (2015)
 • Municipality and town11,385
 • Density64/km2 (170/sq mi)
 • Urban
3,756
Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
WebsiteOfficial website

History
Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, founder of Guachetá

When the Spanish conquistadores entered the central highlands of Colombia, they encountered the Muisca Confederation; territories of the Muisca. Guachetá was an independent territory within the confederation, led by a cacique. The Spanish army leader Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada founded Guachetá on March 12th, 1537 and initially called it San Gregorio because of the date. The Muisca spoke Chibcha and Guachetá in Chibcha means "farmlands of the hill".[1]

Muisca myth
Statue honouring Goranchacha

One of the many stories of the mythology of the Muisca is the myth of the virgin maid of Guachetá. The daughter of the cacique allegedly became pregnant through the forces of the Sun, represented in the Muisca religion by Sué. After nine months pregnancy she bore an emerald that she put between her breasts. From this emerald grew the mythical cacique Goranchacha; son of the Sun.[2]

Economy

The main economical activities of Guachetá are agriculture, particularly potatoes, maize, peas and beans,[1] along with coal mining and dairy production.

References
  1. (in Spanish) Official website Guachetá Archived 2017-07-09 at the Wayback Machine - accessed 05-05-2016
  2. Ocampo López, Javier (2013). Mitos y leyendas indígenas de Colombia [Indigenous myths and legends of Colombia] (in Spanish). Bogotá, Colombia: Plaza & Janes Editores Colombia S.A. p. 80. ISBN 978-958-14-1416-1.
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