Chía is a city and municipality in the department of Cundinamarca in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

, located 10 km north of

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

on the main road to Zipaquira. Due to its proximity to Bogotá, Chía has effectively become a

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

of the capital. Its history dates back to the

pre-Columbian era In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...

. Chia is also known for its gastronomy and its variety of restaurants. It is also home to the Universidad de la Sabana, one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

Etymology

The place name "Chía" in

Chibcha language Chibcha, Mosca, Muisca, Muysca (*/ˈmɨska/ * �mʷɨska, or Muysca de Bogotá is a language spoken by the Muisca people, one of the many indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Muisca inhabit the Altiplano Cundiboyacense of what today is th ...

or Muisca language refers to the Moon as a star and as a goddess of the Muisca mythology, in whose honour there was a temple built in the

Pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...

town.Etymology Chía
/ref>

History

Chía was inhabited first by indigenous groups during the

Herrera Period The Herrera Period is a phase in the history of Colombia. It is part of the Andean preceramic and ceramic, time equivalent of the North American pre-Columbian era, pre-Columbian Formative stage, formative and classic stages and age dated by var ...

and later by the

Muisca The Muisca (also called the Chibcha) are indigenous peoples in Colombia and were a Pre-Columbian culture of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense that formed the Muisca Confederation before the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The Muisca spe ...

, as an important settlement in the pre-Columbian era. It was a ceremonial center of worship to the Moon goddess Chía. On March 24, 1537, the Spanish, under the command of

Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada y Rivera, also spelled as Ximénez and De Quezada, (; 1509 – 16 February 1579) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador in northern South America, territories currently known as Colombia. He explored the territory n ...

, took possession of the town. In 1781, during the

Revolt of the Comuneros The Revolt of the Comuneros (, "War of the Communities of Castile") was an uprising by citizens of Crown of Castile, Castile against the rule of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles I and his administration between 1520 and 1521. At its hei ...

, the march of the insurgents towards Bogotá stopped near Chía in order to cross the

Bogotá River The Bogotá River is a major river of the Cundinamarca Department, Cundinamarca department of Colombia. A right tributary of the Magdalena River, the Bogotá River crosses the region from the northeast to the southwest and passing along the wester ...

, in what is now known as the Bridge of the Commoners (). At that site, the viceroy signed a series of concessions to the rebels. However, once the rebel group had dispersed, the viceroy declared the concessions invalid for having been signed "under pressure".

Borders

* North with Cajicá * South with Bogotá localities

Usaquén Usaquén is the 1st locality of Bogotá, capital of Colombia. It is located in the north of the city. This district is mostly inhabited by upper middle and upper class residents. It is designated as Bogotá's #1 locality, while being a separate m ...

and Suba * West with

Tabio Tabio is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Departments of Colombia, department of Cundinamarca Department, Cundinamarca. It is located from Bogotá. The town was officially founded April 8, 1603, by Diego Gómez de Mena, on grounds that w ...

and Tenjo * Southwest with

Cota Cota or COTA may refer to: People Surname * Ava Michelle Cota (born 2002), American actress * Chad Cota (born 1971), American football player * Chase Cota (born 1999), American football player *Ed Cota (born 1976), American basketball player * H ...

* East with Sopó *Southeast with La Calera.

Other information

* Market Day: Sunday * Median temperature: 14 °C * DANE Code: 25175

Sites of interest

* Marroquín Castle (''El Castillo Marroquín'') – a building built in 1898, located in the grounds of the Hacienda El Castillo in the sector of La Caro, north of Bogotá. It is a building by the French architect Gastón Lelarge. The castle is a cultural heritage and is used for events and meetings of various types. * Hacienda Yerbabuena * Puente del Común *Centro Comercial Consteación (Carrera 9) * Chía Mall (Centro-Chía) * Andrés Carne de Res * Iglesia la Valvanera * Biblioteca Publica Municipal HOQABIGA * Parque Santander * Fontanar Mall (''Centro Comercial Fontanar'') * La Montaña del Oso – a natural park located in the village of Yerbabuena, about 3200 meters above sea level. It is possible to take guided ecological walks, as well as camping. * Chapel of Our Lady of Valvanera (''Capilla de Nuestra Señora de la Valvanera'') – located at the top of the western hill of Chía, and is visible almost from any point of the municipality. It can be reached by walking on the steps built for this purpose, or by the two existing roads on land. Eucharistic celebrations are held every Sunday and from the adjacent balcony, there is also a panoramic view of the municipality. The road that leads to the other side of the hill (the "Boquerón") towards the municipality of Tenjo is also a frequent site for mountain biking, along with the other road that crosses the hill a little further north and that will give the municipality of

(known as "Lourdes").

Sports facilities

* ''Coliseo de la Luna'' (8,000 spectators), playing ground for the basketball team Cóndores de Cundinamarca * Sports unit "Rio Frio" * Olympic village *

BMX BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the ea ...

Track "Iván de Jesús Barrientos" * Unidad Deportiva"Bojaca". * Estadio Municipal Villa Olímpica.

Climate

Gallery

File:Chia.JPG, Football pitch File:Puente del común, 2006.JPG, Puente El Común File:Estación del ferrocarril La Caro..JPG, La Caro Railway Station

References

External links

*
: FOTW: Flag and Coat of Arms of Chia
{{Authority control Municipalities of Cundinamarca Department