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Facatativá

Facatativá
Cathedral of Facatativá
Cathedral of Facatativá
Flag of Facatativá
Flag
Official seal of Facatativá
Seal
Motto: Present and future of Cundinamarca
(Presente y futuro de Cundinamarca)
Geolocation of Facatativá in Cundinamarca
Geolocation of Facatativá in Cundinamarca
Facatativá is located in Colombia
Facatativá
Facatativá
Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 4°49′N 74°22′W / 4.817°N 74.367°W / 4.817; -74.367Coordinates: 4°49′N 74°22′W / 4.817°N 74.367°W / 4.817; -74.367
Country  Colombia
Department Cundinamarca
Province Western Savanna Province
Founded July 3, 1600
Founded by Diego Gómez de Mena
Government
 • Mayor Pablo Malo García
(2016-2019)
Area
 • City 158 km2 (61 sq mi)
 • Urban 6 km2 (2 sq mi)
Elevation 2,586 m (8,484 ft)
Population (2016)
 • City 134,522
 • Density 850/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
 • Urban 121,608
Time zone Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Area code(s) +1
Website Official website

Facatativá is a city and municipality in the Cundinamarca Department, located about 18 miles (31 km) northwest of Bogotá, Colombia and 2,586 meters above sea level. The city is known for its Archaeological Park Piedras del Tunjo (Rocks of the Tunjo Indian)and best known in Colombia as Piedras del Tunjo (Literally stones of Tunjo), although locals call it Piedras de Tunja (Rocks of Tunja). It features large rock formations that were once the bottom of a lake.

The word Facatativá comes from the indigenous Chibcha language spoken by the Muisca who inhabited the area of Facatativá before the Spanish conquest. It has been translated and interpreted differently over time. The historically accepted translation is "fenced fort at the end of the plains" (Cercado fuerte al final de la llanura) although it has also been translated as "fenced fort outside the farming soil" (Cercado fuerte a las afueras de la labranza) This refers to the town being at the edge of the Bogotá savanna.

Facatativá traces its history to indigenous cultures of the Andes similar to the ones found in the rest of Latin America. Although there is not an accurate record of the time human activity first took place in that area. Excavations have shown nevertheless that the highlands of Colombia might have been inhabited since the holocene era.

Different records of historic human activity have been found in Facatativá. Evidence of inhabitants of the Herrera Period and Muisca pottery and indigenous paintings and sculptures are samples of their religious beliefs and social structure. The Piedras del Tunjo Archaeological Park for example features prehistoric paintings, many of them now vandalized.


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Wikipedia

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