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BOYACA
Inhabitant: Boyacense

In the languages of Chibcha or Muisca, Boyacá means 'Surroundings of the Overlord' or 'Region of Blankets'. When the Republic of Colombia was born, Boyacá received the title “the origins and the road to freedom” because the first battles for emancipation of the Bolivarianos countries were planned and won in Boyacá.
The department was created by virtue of the 1886 Constitution. It was the land of the Muisca natives. Many descendants of that great civilization still live in the region.
Its territory covers an area of 23,189 square kilometers and about 1,400,000 people live there. Boyacá lies in central-east Colombia and it borders the departments of Santander, Norte de Santander, Antioquia, Meta,
Cundinamarca, Casanare and Arauca, and the Republic of Venezuela.
This department has many different climates, from the very hot climate in the low region of Puerto Boyacá to the very cold temperatures in the high altitudes and snow-capped mountains Nevado de Güican and Sierra Nevada del Cocuy .
Boyacá is rich in iron deposits, particularly in the region where the Paz del Río steel mill is located. It is also rich in asphalt, silver, kaolin, quartz and the emerald mines of Muzo and Chvior where the most beautiful and valuable emeralds in the world are extracted. Furthermore, Boyacá is an important center of handicrafts.
Tota Lake is one of the prettiest spots in the department; so are the natural national parks of El Cocuy, Iguaque and Pisba. There are also important national and historic monuments such as El Pantano de Vargas, La Ruta Libertadora in Paipa, the train station of Chiquinquirá, the Bridge of Boyacá, the Sanctuary of Iguaque, the desert of La Candelaria and the valley of Tenza, among others.
Villa de Leyva is one of the best preserved cities in Colombia.

Capital: Tunja
Its name comes from the Chibcha natives tribe word tchunza, which means “territory of the Z aques overlords .
Tunja is a historic city with beautiful colonial architecture. It is also known as “the city of hidden treasures”. Big colonial houses, full of geraniums and flowers that thrive in cold weather, enhance the beauty of this city, home to about 200,000 people. The average temperature of Tunja ranges from 10 to 13 degrees Celsius. Tunja is the coldest city in Colombia.
Historic places like la Casa del Fundador , (“the Founder's House”), el Pozo de Donado, (the “Well of Donado”,) el Monumento a La Raza , (“the monument honoring ‘The Race'”), el Monumento al Trigo (“the Wheat Monument”) called La Fuente Grande (“ the Large Source”) and the Church of Santo Domingo are remarkable tourist attractions. The famous Bridge of Boyacá is located 14 kilometers from Tunja.
It is worth mentioning that the first Colombian painting was registered in Tunja. It is the Virgin of Chiquinquirá image, painted on a native blanket by the Spanish artist Alonso de Narváez in 1551.


 
 


The Flag of
Boyaca


Approved in 1967 by Ordinance # 47, and by Decrees 218 and 495 in 1968 of the Government of Boyacá.

The Emblem of Boyaca

Approved in 1986
Important Figures and Outstanding People Born in Boyaca

>> Presidents
>> Writers, Poets and      Intellectuals
>> Artists
>> Actors (In Spanish)
>> Musicians, Composers
     and Singers

>> Sportsmen
Music


To listen to the songs from this region,
click on the speaker below .

www.colombia-sa.com
Música del departamento






















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The Anthem of Boyaca
(In Spanish)

Lyrics: Pedro Medina
Music: Jorge Camargo

Chorus
Adelante a la cima que guarda
la memoria de tanto inmortal,
dulce tierra que extiende los brazos
de occidente a la pampa solar.

En su entraña hay jardines de hierro,
está el oro en el rubio aluvión,
parpadea la verde esmeralda
en la niebla del gris socavón.

Siempre han sido sus hombres primeros
en el bien, en la guerra, en la paz,
en el cielo no falta una estrella
en las almas siempre hay un cantar.

Aquel trae la eterna armonía
con el numen de Flórez y Ortíz,
es antorcha que opone a la muerte
alta valla de aurora sin fin.

Otros vienen del aula fecunda
animados del genio creador,
a esculpir en el muro del tiempo
la esperanza de un mundo mejor.





Annual Events

January:
Pilgrimage to Alto de Peña Negra to honour The Holy Trinity.

March:
Patron saint's Festivities and alpargata de fique Festival (Boyaca municipality). – Expocebú (Puerto Boyacá),

April: Old Music festival during the Holy Week in Villa de Leyva..

May: International Festival of Culture (Tunja) – Festivals to honour San Isidro and to San Antonio patron saints (Tunja).

July:
Sun and steel festival (Sogamoso) – Festivity of the Virgen del Carmen (Villa de Leyva).

August:
National Festival of kites (Villa de Leyva).

September:
National bands competition (Paipa). La Guabina National Competition (Chiquinquirá) – Commercial Fair and Equine exhibition (Chiquinquirá) – National Craftwork Fair (Chiquinquirá) – Festival, fairs, festivities and reinado del campo boyacense (Santa Rosa de Viterbo).

October:
Festival of El Frío y La Ruana (Tunja).

December:
Christmas Boyacense (Tunja) – Christmas Boyacense (Boyaca municipality) – Festival of lights (Villa de Leyva) – Festivity of the Virgen de Chiquinquirá (Chiquinquirá) – Duitama Fairs and Festivities.










Other Municipalities

Sogamoso,
the second largest city in Boyacá.

Chiquinquira,
famous for the Virgen de Chiquinquirá Basilica and the birth place of the famous poet Julio Flórez.

Villa de Leiva, a renowned historic city that was also proclaimed a National Monument.

Muzo, the most valuable emeralds in the world are found in its mines.

Paz del Río, where the country's biggest steel mills are located .

Paipa
, known for its curative hot springs.

Boyaca, Duitama, Santa Rosa de Viterbo,
Monguí, Ráquira.



Airports

Alberto Lleras Camargo
– Firovitoba-Sogamoso.

Juan José Rondón – Paipa.



National Natural Parks

Pisba

Area: 45,000 hectares.

Iguaque
Area: 6,750 hectares.

El Cocuy
Area: 306,000 hectares.


 
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