Guasca
Municipality and town
View of Guasca from the west
Flag
Location of the municipality and town of Guasca in the Cundinamarca Department of Colombia
Guasca Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 4°51′57″N 73°52′38″W / 4.86583°N 73.87722°W / 4.86583; -73.87722
Country	Colombia
Department	Cundinamarca
Province	Guavio Province
Founded	21 June 1600
Founded by	Luis Enríquez
Government
• Mayor	Miguel Arturo Garavito Diaz (2016-2019)
Area
• Municipality and town	346 km2 (134 sq mi)
• Urban	8.8 km2 (3.4 sq mi)
Elevation	2,710 m (8,890 ft)
Population  (2015)
• Municipality and town	14,759
• Density	43/km2 (110/sq mi)
• Urban	5,203
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Website	Official website

Guasca is a Colombian town and municipality in the Guavio Province, part of the Cundinamarca Department located approximately 55 km from Bogotá passing through the town of La Calera, Cundinamarca or 65 km passing through Sopó. Guasca borders the municipalities Tocancipá and Guatavita in the north, Junín in the east, in the south La Calera and in the west Sopó.^[1]

History

Before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca of the central highlands of the Colombian Andes, the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, the area was inhabited by the Muisca who spoke Chibcha. Guasca was ruled by a cacique who was loyal to the cacique of Guatavita.^[1] In the religion of the Muisca, the Siecha Lakes were considered sacred.^[2]

Etymology

According to friar and Muisca scholar Bernardo de Lugo the name Guasca is derived from guâ, "mountain range" and shucâ; "skirt". The name thus means "skirt of the mountain range", indicating the position of the village with respect to the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes.^[3]

Economy

Main economical activities of Guasca are agriculture; potatoes, carrots, flowers and strawberries and dairy farming.^[1]

Tourism

Guasca is known for ecotourism and has access to Chingaza Natural National Park. Other natural areas are Los Encenillos and the Siecha Lakes. One of the oldest hotels and restaurants in the area is Café la Huerta.

Born in Guasca

• Mariano Ospina Rodríguez - president of the Granadine Confederation

Trivia

• The plant Galinsoga parviflora is called "Guasca(s)" in Colombia and an essential ingredient of the soup ajiaco
• The spiders Anapis guasca,^[4] Deinopis guasca,^[5] and moth Dognina guasca^[6] are found in and named after Guasca

Gallery