Cachipay, Cundinamarca

Cachipay
Municipality and town
Rainbow at the view of Cachipay
Flag Seal
Location of the municipality and town inside Cundinamarca Department of Colombia
Cachipay Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 4°43′51″N 74°26′15″W / 4.73083°N 74.43750°W / 4.73083; -74.43750Coordinates: 4°43′51″N 74°26′15″W / 4.73083°N 74.43750°W / 4.73083; -74.43750
Country	Colombia
Department	Cundinamarca
Province	Tequendama Province
Founded	26 November 1982
Government
• Mayor	Álvaro Moya Silva (2016-2019)
Area
• Municipality and town	56 km2 (22 sq mi)
Elevation	1,600 m (5,200 ft)
Population (2015)
• Municipality and town	9,833
• Density	180/km2 (450/sq mi)
• Urban	3,153
Time zone	Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Website	Official website

Cachipay is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Tequendama Province, part of the department of Cundinamarca. Cachipay borders Quipile in the west, Zipacón in the east, Anolaima in the north and La Mesa in the south. The urban centre is located 53 kilometres (33 mi) east of Bogotá.

The name Cachipay is probably derived from the Chibcha name for a fruit similar to the typical Colombian fruit corozo.

The history of the present municipality of Cachipay dates back at least to the Herrera Period, from which ceramics have been found in the current vereda Tocarema, dated at 2750 years BP (750 BCE). The region before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca was inabited by the Panche people, who were in constant conflict with the Muisca inhabiting the Altiplano Cundiboyacense to the east.

Tocarema was the site of the on August 20, 1538, where an alliance of Muisca guecha warriors and troops of the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada confronted and submitted the Panche, due to their superior weaponry, calvalry and the dogs trained for war.

Modern Cachipay was not founded until November 26, 1982.

Central square of Cachipay

Former train in Cachipay

Colonial house

Council house

Church of Cachipay