Ramiriquí

Ramiriquí
Municipality and town

Church of Ramiriquí

Flag

Location of the municipality and town of Ramiriquí in the Boyacá department of Colombia
Country  Colombia
Department Boyacá Department
Province Márquez Province
Founded 21 December 1541
Founded by Pedro Durán
Government
  Mayor Omar Junco Espinosa
(2016-2019)
Area
  Municipality and town 146.5 km2 (56.6 sq mi)
  Urban 7.25 km2 (2.80 sq mi)
Elevation 2,325 m (7,628 ft)
Population (2015)
  Municipality and town 10,015
  Density 68/km2 (180/sq mi)
  Urban 5,023
Time zone Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Website Official website

Ramiriquí is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, part of the subregion of the Márquez Province. Ramiriquí borders the department capital Tunja in the north, in the south Chinavita and Zetaquirá, in the east Rondón and Ciénaga and in the west Chivatá, Tibaná and Jenesano.[1]

Etymology

Ramiriquí was named after the last cacique; Ramirique. In the Chibcha language of the Muisca Ramirraquí means "white earth". An alternative etymology is Ca-mi-quiquí which means "our strength over the grasslands".[2]

History

The area of Ramiriquí was inhabited by the Muisca before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense in the 1530s. The northern Muisca Confederation was ruled from nearby Hunza, present-day Tunja, after the mythological and brutal cacique Goranchacha moved the capital there from Ramiriquí. The first ruler of Hunza was Hunzahúa after whom the city was named.

Second-last ruler Quemuenchatocha died in Ramiriquí, after he was beaten by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada.

The modern town was founded on December 21, 1541 by Spanish friar Pedro Durán.

Within the boundaries of Ramiriquí petroglyphs have been found.[3]

Economy

Main economical activities in Ramiriquí are agriculture (uchuva, tree tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, blackberries and maize), fishing and crafts.

Born in Ramiriqui

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ramiriquí.
  1. (Spanish) Official website Ramiriquí - accessed 02-05-2016
  2. (Spanish) Etymology Ramiriquí - accessed 02-05-2016
  3. (Spanish) Petroglyphs in Ramiriquí - accessed 02-05-2016

Coordinates: 5°24′N 73°20′W / 5.400°N 73.333°W / 5.400; -73.333

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/17/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.