La Capilla

Municipality and town in Boyacá Department, Colombia

La Capilla La Capilla de Tenza
Municipality and town
View of La Capilla
Flag Seal
Location of the municipality and town of La Capilla in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Coordinates: 5°05′44″N 73°26′37″W / 5.09556°N 73.44361°W / 5.09556; -73.44361
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá Department
Province	Eastern Boyacá Province
Founded	13 November 1793
Founded by	Juan de la Cruz Aguirre
Government
• Mayor	Raúl Hernando Rodríguez Chavarro (2020-2023)
Area
• Municipality and town	57.26 km² (22.11 sq mi)
Elevation	1,600 m (5,200 ft)
Population (2015)
• Municipality and town	2,550
• Density	45/km² (120/sq mi)
• Urban	972
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Website	Official website

La Capilla is a town and municipality in the Eastern Boyacá Province, part of the Colombian department of Boyacá. The urban centre is situated at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) in the Tenza Valley.^[1]

Borders

North with Úmbita and Pachavita
South with Tenza and Cundinamarca
West with Cundinamarca
East with Pachavita and Tenza

Etymology

La Capilla was originally called La Capilla de Tenza, after the Our Lady of Candle appeared in the outskirts of the village. Because of this, a chapel was built; hence the name Capilla.^[1]

History

The first inhabitants of the region of La Capilla were the Muisca, who were organised in their loose Muisca Confederation. The people of the area of La Capilla were loyal to the caciques of Garagoa, Sutatenza and Somondoco in the Tenza Valley. Conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and his troops passed through this valley in 1537, on their way to the domains of the zaque of Hunza. Modern La Capilla was founded on November 13, 1793, by Juan de la Cruz Aguirre.^[1]