Sutamarchán

Sutamarchán is a town and municipality in the Ricaurte Province, part of the department of Boyacá of Colombia. Sutamarchán is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense at 44 kilometres (27 mi) from the department capital Tunja. It borders Santa Sofía in the north, Sáchica and Villa de Leyva in the east, Saboyá in the west and Ráquira and Tinjacá in the south.[1]

Sutamarchán
Municipality and town
Central square and church of Sutamarchán
Flag
Location of the municipality and town of Sutamarchán in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Country Colombia
DepartmentBoyacá Department
ProvinceRicaurte Province
Founded14 December 1556
Founded byAntonio de Santana
Government
 • MayorFrancisco Javier Villamil
(2020-2023)
Area
 • Municipality and town102 km2 (39 sq mi)
 • Urban
8 km2 (3 sq mi)
Elevation
1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Population
 (2015)
 • Municipality and town5,916
 • Density58/km2 (150/sq mi)
 • Urban
1,352
Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
WebsiteOfficial website

Etymology

The name Sutamarchán is derived from the Chibcha sovereign Suta and Spanish marchán: "Merchant of the sovereign Suta". Marchán refers to Pedro Merchan de Velasco, who was an 18th-century encomendero of Suta.[1][2]

History

Sutamarchán in the times before the Spanish conquest was inhabited by the Muisca, organized in their loose Muisca Confederation. Sutamarchán was ruled by the zaque of Hunza.

Modern Sutamarchán was founded on December 14, 1556, by Antonio de Santana.[1]

Economy

The main economical activities of Sutamarchán are agriculture, livestock farming and tourism. Among the agricultural products potatoes, onions, tomatoes, barley, maize, grapes and the Colombian fruit curuba are cultivated. The town is famous for its longaniza sausages. Tourism is mainly religious; tourists visit the Santo Ecce Homo Convent.[1]

Since June 15, 2004, a Tomatina festival, like the famous original in Buñol, Spain, is celebrated in Sutamarchán.

Born in Sutamarchán
  • Church and central square
  • Tomatina festival Sutamarchán
  • Tomatina festival
  • Touristic map of Sutamarchán and surroundings
  • Santo Ecce Homo Convent
  • Santo Ecce Homo Convent
  • Santo Ecce Homo Convent interior
  • Floor with fossils in the Convent

Panoramas
Cemetery of the Santo Ecce Homo Convent, Sutamarchán
Snake fossil in the Santo Ecce Homo Convent, Sutamarchán

References
  1. (in Spanish) Official website Sutamarchán
  2. (in Spanish) Etymology Sutamarchán - Excelsio.net

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.