Sutamarchán Explained

Sutamarchán
Settlement Type:Municipality and town
Mapsize:250px
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Colombia
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Colombia
Subdivision Type1:Department
Subdivision Name1:Boyacá Department
Subdivision Type2:Province
Subdivision Name2:Ricaurte Province
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Miguel Andrés Rodríguez Saavedra
(2020-2023)
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:14 December 1556
Founder:Antonio de Santana
Area Total Km2:102
Area Urban Km2:8
Population As Of:2015
Population Total:5916
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Urban:1352
Timezone:Colombia Standard Time
Utc Offset:-5
Elevation M:1800
Website:Official website

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 44km (27miles) 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]

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

References

5.6°N -111°W

Notes and References

  1. Official website Sutamarchán
  2. Etymology Sutamarchán - Excelsio.net