Tenza

Municipality and town in Boyacá Department, Colombia

Flag

Location of the municipality and town of Tenza in the Boyacá Department of Colombia

Country

ColombiaDepartmentBoyacá DepartmentProvinceEastern Boyacá ProvinceFounded24 June 1537Founded byPedro Fernández de ValenzuelaGovernment

• MayorJose Luis Gómez Alfonso
(2020-2023)Area

• Municipality and town51 km² (20 sq mi)Elevation

1,600 m (5,200 ft)Population

(2015)

• Municipality and town4,112 • Density81/km² (210/sq mi) • Urban

1,229Time zoneUTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)WebsiteOfficial website

Tenza (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtensa]) is a town and municipality in the subregion of the Eastern Boyacá Province of the Colombian department Boyacá. Tenza borders La Capilla and Pachavita in the north, in the east the department of Cundinamarca, in the south with Sutatenza and in the east with Garagoa. The altitude of the municipality in the Tenza Valley ranges from 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) to 2,200 metres (7,200 ft).^[1]

History

Tenza used to be inhabited by the Muisca before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada who was looking for emeralds. The village was ruled by the cacique of Cora, loyal to the zaque of Hunza.^[1] Modern Tenza was founded during the Spanish conquest of the Muisca by the Jiménez de Quesada, on June 24, Saint John's day, 1537.^[1]

Tenza used to be called Tenazuca, which in the Chibcha language of the Muisca means "going down at night".^[2]

Economy

Livestock farming is the most important activity. The agriculture of Tenza is relatively modest with beans, peas, maize, yuca, arracacha, tomatoes, cucumbers and bananas. Some mining is executed in Tenza.^[1]