Cerinza

Cerinza is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, and part of the Tundama Province subregion. Cerinza borders Belén in the northeast, Encino in the northwest, Santander in the west, Santa Rosa de Viterbo in the south, Floresta in the south-southeast and Betéitiva in the east-southeast.^[2]

Cerinza
Municipality and town
Church of Cerinza
Flag
Location of the municipality and town of Cerinza in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá Department
Province	Tundama Province
Founded	7 January 1554
Founded by	Melchor Vanegas
Government
• Mayor	Juan Alcibíades Cely Amaya (2020-2023)
Area
• Municipality and town	61.63 km2 (23.80 sq mi)
• Urban	0.41 km2 (0.16 sq mi)
Elevation	2,750 m (9,020 ft)
Population  (2015)
• Municipality and town	3,762
• Density	61/km2 (160/sq mi)
• Urban	1,547
	[1]
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Website	Official website

History

Before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, the area of Cerinza was ruled by the cacique of Tundama, present-day Duitama. The cacicazgo was part of the Muisca Confederation, the former country in the central highlands of the Colombian Andes. The Muisca spoke Chibcha and in that language Cerinza means "my throat". The village was named after the cacique with the same name.^[3]

Modern Cerinza was founded on 7 January 1554 by Melchor Vanegas, after conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada entered the village in 1538.

Economy

The main economic activities in Cerinza are livestock farming and agriculture (potatoes, maize, peas and beans).^[2]

Gallery

• 
  Hospital of Cerinza
• 
  Monument honouring the Muisca