Cerinza

Cerinza
Municipality and town
Church of Cerinza Church of Cerinza
Flag of Cerinza Flag
Location of the municipality and town of Cerinza in the Boyacá Department of Colombia Location of the municipality and town of Cerinza in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá Department
Province	Tundama Province
Founded	7 January 1554
Founded by	Melchor Vanegas
Government
• Mayor	Luis Carlos Chía (2016-2019)
Area
• Municipality and town	61.63 km2 (23.80 sq mi)
• Urban	0.41 km2 (0.16 sq mi)
Elevation	2,750 m (9,020 ft)
Population (2015)
• Municipality and town	3,762
• Density	61/km2 (160/sq mi)
• Urban	1,547
Time zone	Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Website	Official website

Cerinza is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, and part of the Tundama Province subregion. Cerinza borders Belén in the north, Encino, Santander in the west, Santa Rosa de Viterbo in the south and Floresta and Betéitiva in the east.

History

Before the Spanish conquest of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, the area of Cerinza was ruled by the cacique of Tundama, present-day Duitama. The cacicazgo was part of the Muisca Confederation, the former country in the central highlands of the Colombian Andes. The Muisca people spoke Chibcha and in that language Cerinza means "my throat". The village was named after the cacique with the same name.

Modern Cerinza was founded on the 7th of January, 1554 by Melchor Vanegas, after conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada entered the village in 1538.

Economy

Main economical activities in Cerinza are livestock farming and agriculture (potatoes, maize, peas and beans).

Gallery

• CASA HOSPITAL DOCTOR JOSÉ JACINTO MANRIQUE.jpg

  Hospital of Cerinza

• Busto de Indigena.JPG

  Monument honouring the Muisca