Calarcá facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Calarcá, Quindío
Municipality and town
View of Calarcá
Flag Coat of arms
Location of the municipality and town of Calarcá, Quindío in the Quindío Department of Colombia.
Calarcá, Quindío Location in Colombia
Country	Colombia
Department	Quindío Department
Founded	1886
Area
• Total	219.23 km2 (84.65 sq mi)
Elevation	1,573 m (5,161 ft)
Population  (2023)
• Total	75,979
• Density	346.572/km2 (897.618/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Calarqueño
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Area code(s)	57 + 6
Website	Official website: http://calarca-quindio.gov.co/

Calarcá is a lively town in the eastern part of the Quindío Department in Colombia. It's only about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) east of Armenia, the capital city of the department. People often call Calarcá La Villa del Cacique, which means "The Chief's Town." This nickname honors the many famous writers from the area.

The town was founded in 1886 by Segundo Henao and other settlers from Antioquia Department. Calarcá is the second largest city in Quindío, right after Armenia. In 2023, about 75,979 people lived there. Calarcá is part of the "Coffee Cultural Landscape," a special area recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2011. This means it's a very important place for growing coffee!

History of Calarcá

How Calarcá Got Its Name

The name Calarcá comes from a brave leader of the Pijaos Tribe. This indigenous chief lived in the area a long time ago. Legends say he fought a big battle against Baltazar Maldonado, an indigenous person who had become Catholic. The fight was to keep control of their land. It happened on a mountain called Peñas Blancas, which is a famous landmark near the city.

Founding and Growth

Calarcá was officially founded on June 29, 1886. Roman Mario Valencia and Segundo Henao were the founders. They came from Salento and explored this region. At first, the town's economy relied on mining and trade.

Later, around the 1930s, coffee farming became very popular. Calarcá quickly grew into one of the most important coffee producers in the region and even the whole country. The money from coffee helped the town develop and become a center for culture. This is why Calarcá is known as a place where many poets, like Luis Vidales and Baudilio Montoya, were born.

Special Events and Architecture

Calarcá hosts several exciting events. These include the national coffee festival and the "Desfile del Yipao." In this parade, people decorate their Jeep Willys cars, which are very common in the region, and drive them through the city. There's also a national meeting for writers.

You can still see many old, beautiful buildings in Calarcá. These houses have a special style with large balconies, colorful gates, and mud roofs. They tell many stories about the town's past. Some famous examples are the Casa de los Téllez and the Hospital la Misericordia building.

In 1999, a big earthquake hit the region. It damaged many parts of Calarcá, and some of its historic buildings were lost.

Geography of Calarcá

Calarcá is located in the Andes mountains, specifically in the Central Cordillera. It's in the eastern part of the Quindío department. This area is known as the Eje Cafetero, or "Coffee Axis," because so much coffee is grown here.

The municipality of Calarcá covers an area of about 219.23 square kilometers (84.65 square miles). The town itself is quite small, covering only 2.44 square kilometers (0.94 square miles). The rest is rural land. The elevation in Calarcá changes a lot, from about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level to 3,667 meters (12,031 feet) in the high mountains.

Calarcá shares its borders with several other towns:

• To the north: Salento
• To the east: Cajamarca in Tolima Department
• To the south: Córdoba, Buenavista, Pijao (all in Quindío), and Caicedonia in the Valle del Cauca Department
• To the west: La Tebaida and Armenia

Climate in Calarcá

Calarcá has a pleasant subtropical highland climate. This means it has mild temperatures all year round. The average temperature is about 20 °C (68 °F).

Economy and Tourism in Calarcá

The blue morpho butterfly can be seen in the Mariposario

Landscape of Armenia and the Andes. Peñas Blancas can be seen in the background to the right

Just like other towns in Quindío, Calarcá's economy is mostly based on farming. The main crops are Colombian coffee, plantains, and manioc (also known as cassava). Another important way people get money is from family members who work in other countries and send money home.

Ecotourism and Nature

Ecotourism is also a big part of Calarcá's economy. This means people visit to enjoy nature and learn about the environment.

• Quindío Botanical Garden: Just outside town, you'll find the Quindío Botanical Garden. It opened in 1985 and is a wonderful place to explore.
• Butterfly House: Inside the garden, there's a huge outdoor butterfly house. It's shaped like a butterfly and is home to over 1,200 different kinds of butterflies native to Colombia. It's a truly amazing sight!
• Plant Collections: The garden also has collections of medicinal plants, colorful heliconias, and interesting cacti. These gardens are designed to be beautiful and enjoyable for everyone.

Climbing at Peñas Blancas

Peñas Blancas, which means "white cliffs," is a famous natural landmark near Calarcá. It's a huge rock formation with three tall, white rock faces. The rocks are white because they contain calcite and limestone.

• Caves and Legends: There are many caves and rock shelters inside the cliffs. Local legends say that the indigenous chief Calarcá hid a treasure inside these caves. He supposedly hid it during his battles against the Spanish.
• Activities: Peñas Blancas is a great place for outdoor adventures. You can go rock climbing and abseiling (rappelling) up to 80 meters (262 feet) high. There's also a 40-meter (131 feet) zip-line, and hiking trails that are 3.2 km (2 miles) and 9 km (5.6 miles) long. You can even go camping and enjoy a meal at the restaurant there.
• Amazing Views: From the bottom of the cliffs, you get incredible views of Armenia, Calarcá, and the beautiful surrounding area.

Notable People from Calarcá

Calarcá is known for its creative people. Here are some famous individuals who come from this town:

• Luis Vidales (1904–1990) – A well-known poet and writer.
• Baudilio Montoya – Another respected poet.
• Francisco Noe Torres Rincon – An artist.
• Octavio Guzmán Bahen – A physicist.
• Noel Estrada Roldan – A poet.
• Fabio Botero – A cartoonist.
• Hernando Jiménez Sánchez – An artist.
• Olga Lucia Roldan – An artist.
• Gloria Cecilia Díaz – A writer.
• Jaime Lopera Gutierrez – A writer.
• Lucelly García de Montoya – A politician.
• Jairo Ramon Pelaez – A cartoonist.
• Jairo Alvarez Osorio – A cartoonist.
• Carlos A. Villegas U.o – A writer.
• Laura del Sol Jiménez – A flutist.
• Luisa Fernanda Gonzalez – A nurse.

See also

In Spanish: Calarcá (Quindío) para niños