Gachancipá facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gachancipá
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Municipality and town
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Central square
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Location of the municipality and town inside Cundinamarca department of Colombia
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 Gachancipá
Location in Colombia
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| Country |  Colombia |
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| Department |  Cundinamarca |
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| Province | Central Savanna Province | ||
| Founded | 1 January 1612 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Municipality and town | 43.06 km2 (16.63 sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 1.03 km2 (0.40 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 2,568 m (8,425 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018 census)
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| • Municipality and town | 17,026 | ||
| • Density | 395.40/km2 (1,024.09/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 11,252 | ||
| • Urban density | 10,920/km2 (28,290/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time) | ||
| Website | Official website: http://www.gachancipa-cundinamarca.gov.co/ | ||
Gachancipá is a town and municipality in Colombia. It is part of the Cundinamarca area, located in the Central Savanna Province. The main part of the town sits on a high flat area called the Altiplano Cundiboyacense. It is about 42 kilometers (26 miles) away from Bogotá, which is the capital city of Colombia.
Gachancipá shares its borders with several other towns. To the south, it borders Guatavita and Tocancipá. To the east, you'll find Sesquilé and Guatavita again. On its western side is Nemocón, and to the north, it borders Suesca.
What's in a Name?
The name Gachancipá comes from the Chibcha language. This was the language spoken by the Muisca people. In their language, "Gachancipá" means "Pottery of the zipa". A zipa was an important leader among the Muisca people.
A Look Back in Time
Before the Spanish arrived in Colombia, the area where Gachancipá is now was home to the Muisca people. They were organized into a group of communities called the Muisca Confederation. As its name suggests, Gachancipá was controlled by the zipa, whose main center was in Bacatá (which is now Bogotá).
The modern town of Gachancipá was officially started on January 1, 1612. However, we don't know who the exact founders were.
Later, in the late 1700s, a famous scholar named José Domingo Duquesne lived in Gachancipá. He studied the Muisca people and their culture. Today, a school in the town is named after him to honor his work.
How People Make a Living
For a long time, the main ways people in Gachancipá made money were through agriculture (farming) and raising livestock (farm animals). They grew crops and raised animals for food and other products.
In more recent years, growing flowers has become a very important part of the economy in Gachancipá. Many beautiful flowers are grown there.
Images for kids
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Church of Gachancipá
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Church
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Monument to the indigenous people
See also
In Spanish: Gachancipá para niños
