Ciénega, Boyacá


Ciénega is a municipality in the Márquez Province, part of Boyacá Department, Colombia. The urban centre of Ciénega is situated on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense at a distance of from the department capital Tunja at an altitude of. The altitude ranges within the municipality from to. The municipality borders Viracachá and Soracá in the north, Rondón in the east and south and Ramiriquí in the south and west.

Etymology

The name Ciénega comes from Chibcha and means "Place of water".

History

The area around Ciénega in the times before the Spanish conquest was part of the Muisca Confederation, a loose confederation of different rulers of the Muisca. Ciénega was ruled by the zaque based in Hunza. On his way to the legendary El Dorado, conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada passed through Ciénega.
Modern Ciénega was founded on October 22, 1818 by José Cayetano Vasquez, son of the owner of the main hacienda in the village.

Economy

Main economical activities of Ciénega are livestock farming and agriculture. Among the agricultural products cultivated are potatoes, maize, peas and arracacha, tree tomato and uchuva.

Born in Ciénega