Santa Rosa de Viterbo, Boyacá facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Santa Rosa de Viterbo
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Municipality and town
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Rafael Reyes Park.
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Location of the municipality and town of Santa Rosa de Viterbo in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
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| Country |  Colombia |
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| Department | Boyacá Department | ||
| Province | Tundama Province | ||
| Elevation | 2,753 m (9,032 ft) | ||
| Population
(Census 2018)
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| • Total | 11,329 | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time) | ||
Santa Rosa de Viterbo is a cool town and a special kind of area called a municipality in Colombia. It's located in the Boyacá Department, which is like a state, and it's part of the Tundama Province.
Did you know a unique mixture of natural materials, called Viterbite, was found here? It's not a single mineral, but a mix of two others, and it got its name from Santa Rosa de Viterbo!
Discovering Santa Rosa's Past
Santa Rosa de Viterbo was officially started by the Spanish in the year 1689. Three priests asked the Archbishop of Santa Fe for help to create the church area of Santa Rosa de Viterbo. A leader, called a mayor, was chosen in 1690. The very first mayor was José de los Reyes.
The Amazing "Aerolito" Meteorite
In 1810, something incredible happened: a meteorite fell right in Santa Rosa! A farmer from the town found this giant space rock. The mayor at the time decided to put it in the middle of the town square, right in front of the church, for everyone to see.
About a hundred years later, the president of Colombia, Rafael Reyes, decided to move the meteorite to the capital city, Bogotá. There, it was cut into two large pieces. One part stayed in Bogotá, and the other is now in a museum far away in Chicago, USA!
Famous People from Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa de Viterbo is proud to be the birthplace of some very important people in Colombian history:
- Rafael Reyes: He became a former president of Colombia.
- Fernando Soto Aparicio (1933): He was a talented writer, known for his screenplays, poems, and novels.
- Juan José Reyes-Patria Escobar: A Colombian politician and military leader.
