Somondoco is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá . This town and larger municipal area are located in the Valle de Tenza . The Valle de Tenza is the ancient route connecting the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and the Llanos . The area is dotted with many such little towns all located at approximately the same altitude (1500–1700 meters). Somondoco borders Almeida in the east, Guayatá in the west, Guateque and Sutatenza in the north and in the south the Cundinamarca municipality of Ubalá .
5-473: The nearest larger town is Guateque which is about 30 minutes away by car. In Somondoco are several small companies producing handicrafts and collectables. Somondoco is derived from the Chibcha words So = stone, Mon = bath, Co = support. The village is named after cacique Somendoco or Sumindoco . Somondoco is a very old center of population extending back into prehistory. The Muisca settled here due to
10-595: Is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá , part of the subregion of the Eastern Boyacá Province . Guateque's urban center is located at an altitude of 1,815 metres (5,955 ft) on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense at distances of 125 kilometres (78 mi) from the department capital Tunja and 112 kilometres (70 mi) from Bogotá , capital of Colombia. It borders
15-683: The abundance of emeralds mined in the Andes mountains. When the Spanish conquistadores led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada arrived, Somondoco was ruled by a cacique named Sumindoco . He was loyal to the zaque of Hunza . The date of foundation of Somondoco is November 6, 1537. Main economical activities of Somondoco are emerald mining and agriculture ; maize , tomatoes , sugar cane , beans , bananas and coffee . 4°59′16″N 73°26′10″W / 4.98778°N 73.4361°W / 4.98778; -73.4361 Guateque Guateque
20-460: The hill within the municipality that they called Guatoc , the people organized religious festivities. The cacique of Guateque was an important leader within the loose Muisca Confederation , as gold mining was executed in Guateque. While Catholic missionaries were already working in Guateque since 1556, the modern town was founded on January 28, 1636, by a group of Spanish leaders. Despite
25-535: The municipalities of La Capilla , Tenza , Sutatenza , Somondoco of Boyacá and Tibiritá and Manta of Cundinamarca . Guateque is derived from the original name Guatoc , meaning "Stream of the ravine" or "Lord of the winds". In the centuries before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca , the central highlands of Colombia were inhabited by the Muisca . The Muisca practiced different rituals related to their religion . On
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