Somondoco

Somondoco
Municipality and town
Bull fighting arena Somondoco
Bull fighting arena Somondoco
Flag of Somondoco
Flag
Location of the municipality and town of Somondoco in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Location of the municipality and town of Somondoco in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Country Colombia
DepartmentBoyacá Department
ProvinceEastern Boyacá Province
Founded6 November 1537
Government
 • MayorEdison Rolando Gaitán Roa
(2020-2023)
Area
 • Municipality and town58.7 km2 (22.7 sq mi)
 • Urban
2.4 km2 (0.9 sq mi)
Elevation
1,670 m (5,480 ft)
Population
 (2015)
 • Municipality and town3,632
 • Density62/km2 (160/sq mi)
 • Urban
795
Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
WebsiteOfficial website

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.[1]

The nearest larger town is Guateque which is about 30 minutes away by car. In Somondoco are several small companies producing handicrafts and collectables.

Etymology

Somondoco is derived from the Chibcha words So = stone, Mon = bath, Co = support. The village is named after cacique Somendoco or Sumindoco.[2][1]

History

Somondoco is a very old center of population extending back into prehistory. The Muisca settled here due to 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.[1] The date of foundation of Somondoco is November 6, 1537.[3]

Economy

Main economical activities of Somondoco are emerald mining and agriculture; maize, tomatoes, sugar cane, beans, bananas and coffee.[1]

  • View of Somondoco
    View of Somondoco

References

  1. ^ a b c d (in Spanish) Official website Somondoco
  2. ^ (in Spanish) Etymology Somondoco - Excelsio.net
  3. ^ (in Spanish) Foundation of Somondoco November 6, 1537

Further reading

  • Branquet, Yannick; Bernard Laumonier; Alain Cheilletz, and Gaston Giuliani. 1999. Emeralds in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia: Two tectonic settings for one mineralization. Geology 27. 597-600. Accessed 2017-01-05.
  • Giuliani, Gaston; Alain Cheilletz; Carlos Arboleda; Victor Carrillo; Félix Rueda, and James H. Baker. 1995. An evaporitic origin of the parent brines of Colombian emeralds: fluid inclusion and sulphur isotope evidence. European Journal of Mineralogy 7. 151-165. Accessed 2017-01-05.
  • Ortega Medina, Laura Milena. 2007. Tipología y condiciones de formaciónde las manifestaciones del sector esmeraldífero "Peña Coscuez" (municipio San Pablo de Borbur, Boyacá) (MSc.), 1-121. Universidad Industrial de Santander. Accessed 2017-01-05.
  • Pignatelli, Isabella; Gaston Giuliani; Daniel Ohnenstetter; Giovanna Agrosì; Sandrine Mathieu; Christophe Morlot, and Yannick Branquet. 2015. Colombian Trapiche Emeralds: Recent Advances in Understanding Their Formation. Gems & Gemology LI. 222-259. .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Somondoco.

4°59′16″N 73°26′10″W / 4.98778°N 73.4361°W / 4.98778; -73.4361

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