 | This articlecontains too many pictures for its overall length. Relevant discussion may be found on thetalk page. Pleaseimprove this article by removingindiscriminate collections of images or adjusting images that aresandwiching text in accordance with theManual of Style on use of images.(November 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Sáchica | |
|---|---|
Municipality and town | |
 Church of Sáchica | |
.svg) Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: City of onions | |
 Location of the municipality and town of Sáchica in the Boyacá Department of Colombia | |
| Coordinates:5°35′N73°33′W / 5.583°N 73.550°W /5.583; -73.550 | |
| Country | Colombia |
| Department | Boyacá Department |
| Province | Ricaurte Province |
| Founded | 16 July 1556 |
| Founded by | Juan Velasco and Carlos Rojas |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hugo Buitrago (2020-2023) |
| Area | |
• Municipality and town | 62.4 km2 (24.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,150 m (7,050 ft) |
| Population (2015) | |
• Municipality and town | 3,791 |
| • Density | 61/km2 (160/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 1,875 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time) |
| Website | www |
Sáchica is amunicipality ofColombia situated approximately 34 km (21 mi) west ofTunja in theRicaurte Province of thedepartment ofBoyacá. Sáchica bordersSutamarchán andVilla de Leyva in the north, in the eastChíquiza,Samacá andRáquira in the south and in the west Ráquira and Sutamarchán.[1]
Renowned for its unique cultural and social habits, Sáchica is known as the national capital of onions and its remarkable beer consumption. According to a report byEl Tiempo, Sáchica holds the distinction of being the town with the highest per capita beer consumption in Colombia.[2]
In the centuries before the arrival of the Spanishconquistadores, Sáchica was ruled by acacique loyal to thezaque ofHunza. Evidence of long inhabitation has been found in the form ofpetroglyphs made by theMuisca who were organized in theMuisca Confederation. The Muisca had their ownreligion where their main gods wereSué (the Sun) andChía; the Moon. In Sáchica monuments to both celestial bodies have been constructed.
Modern Sáchica was founded on July 16, 1556, by Juan Velasco and Carlos Rojas.[1] In 1574 a total of 2500 indigenous people were living in Sáchica, presently only 5% is indigenous, the remaindermestizo.[1]
In theChibcha language of the Muisca, Sáchica means "our present domain",[3] "fortress" or "mansion of the sovereign".[1]
In a rock shelter in Sáchica, rock art in the form of pictographs has been discovered. The archaeologistEliécer Silva Celis pioneered in the study of them in the 1960s. Later research has been performed byCarl Henrik Langebaek, Diego Martínez, Álvaro Botiva, Pedro Argüello García, and others. The black, red and white rock art is present at an altitude of 2,210 m (7,250 ft) at5°35′29.058″N73°31′15.926″W / 5.59140500°N 73.52109056°W /5.59140500; -73.52109056 and shows human faces, Suns, maize, eyes, mountains, masks, and other figures.[4] The rock art has been produced in rock shelters ofLower Cretaceous formations.[5]
Fossilized skeleton ofpliosauridSachicasaurus vitae almost 10 m long was found in the LowerCretaceous (Barremian) deposits near Sáchica. The generic name of this animalrefers to Sáchica while the species epithet is meaning "life" in reference to "the vitality that this fossil has given to the Sáchica village since its discovery". Despite its large size, the found individual ofSachicasaurus is not an adult.[6]
TheichthyosaurPlatypterygius sachicarum (nowKyhytysuka sachicarum), found in thePaja Formation of Villa de Leyva, has also been named after Sáchica.
Sachiquense economy is based on religioustourism,agriculture; onions andtomatoes, andmining;gypsum,marble andclay.[1]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
