- Fusagasugá
Infobox City
official_name = Fusagasugá
nickname = The Garden City of Colombia
motto = Tierra Grata (pleasing earth)
imagesize =
image_caption =
imagesize =
image_caption =
flag_size =100px
image_
seal_size =
mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of the town and municipality of Fusagasugá in Cundinamarca Department.
subdivision_type = Region
subdivision_name = Andean Region
subdivision_type1 =Department
subdivision_name1 =Cundinamarca
subdivision_type2 = Province
subdivision_name2 =Sumapaz Province
government_type = Municipality
leader_title =Mayor
leader_name = Baudilio Paez Castro|established_title =
established_date =
established_title2 = Established as Town for Natives
established_date2 =February 5 ,1592
established_title3 = Established as Town for Whites
established_date3 =May 7 ,1776
area_total_km2 = 239
area_urban_km2 = 14
population_as_of =
population_note = Approximately
population_total = 125000
population_density_km2 = 502
latd= |latm= |lats= |latNS=
longd= |longm= |longs= |longEW=
elevation_m = 1728 (average)
website = http://www.fusagasuga.gov.co/
blog = http://foro-fusagasuga.blogspot.com/
footnotes =Fusagasugá (or Fusa) is a town and municipality in the department of
Cundinamarca , in centralColombia . It is located some forty miles from the capital,Bogotá . With 122,000 inhabitants, Fusagasugá is one of the largest municipalities in the department. It was founded in 1562 by Spanishpriests .It borders
Pasca ,Arbeláez , Tibacuy, Silvania and other municipalities ofSumapaz . At its elevation of convert|5669|ft|m above sea level, the town's average temperature ranges from 18-20°C.Name origin
The interpretation of the name in Spanish varies from "Mujer que se hace invisible" (Woman who becomes invisible) to "Mujer que se esconde tras la montaña" (Woman who hides herself behind the mountain). However, many people shorten its name to "Fusa".
History
The
Sutagaos inhabited the region until the new town was founded byOídor Bernardino Albornoz between the 5th and 13th of February in 1562. Not much is known about the previous indigenous residents. During the visit of Oídor Ibarra, there were 759 indigenous people residing in Fusagasugá. When Oídor Aróstequi arrived in February 1760, the indigenous population had dwindled to 85, and there were 644 new settlers divided among 109 families. OnFebruary 19 ,1760 , a small hospital was established near the church and Father Vicente of Fresneda was given charge of it.During a visit, two officials, Moreno and Escandón, considering the decline in the indigenous population and the corresponding growth in the local settler population, issued a decree on
January 8 ,1776 that the native villages in the Fusagasugá area, Pandi and Tibacuy, no longer existed, and consolidated them into the present-day city ofPasca . In the wake of this decision, all streets and plazas in the cities were renamed.In 1771, on the direction of the mayor of Fusagasugá, the
viceroy Messia de la Zerda ordered the construction of a new avenue, Santafé, which would go from Fusagasugá, passing through the nearby town ofSibaté . On August 8, 1774, Father Francisco Escobar announced that Fusagasugá was on the road that passed over the mountains and led to the neighboring towns of Apicalá and Melgar; such that travelers could not reachBermajal , located on the same mountain as Fusagasugá, without passing through Fusagasugá. This established the suburb's local importance.In a directive issued August 7, 1846, the president of the Colombian republic nationally recognized the road from Fusagasugá to the southern provinces, which prompted the construction of a road over the
Sumapaz river inBoquerón . In 1852, Fusagasugá became part of the province ofTequendama .On February 9, 1877, a battle took place in the hacienda El Novillero between government forces led by General Mogollón and the rebels led by Colonel Juan Ardila and Lucas Moreno. The first hospital was constructed in 1893 by the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with money donated by Don Manuel María Aya Caicedo and Lady Sagrado Cleofé Diaz, who also founded an adjoining nursing home. Following a directive issued on December 20, 1895, Fusagasugá was made capital of the province of
Sumapaz , which was created by National Directive 489 on November 7, 1895 and made into Law 162 in 1896.On February 22, 1893, Doctor
José Manuel Goenaga , minister of obras of PresidentMiguel Antonio Caro , contracted the construction of a highway between Sibaté, Fusagasugá, and Boquerón. The project's engineer was Enrique Pabón Liévano, a native of Fusagasugá. The project was commenced in 1905 under the administration of PresidentRafael Reyes but suspended on February 10, 1906 because of an attack by the Barro Colorado. It resumed in March 1913. The highway reached Fusagasugá in 1930 andArbeláez in 1934.In 1907, an iron and wood bridge was finished over the river Sumapaz in Boquerón which was given the name "Puente Eliseo Medina" to honor the administration of the time. In 1930, the bridge was used by automobiles for the first time, and was replaced by the current bridge in 1953.
By article 12 of ordnance 21 in 1944, the construction of a highway between Fusagasugá and Boquerón by the river
Llano commenced.The first cemetery, which was on the site of "Pekin" opened in 1822. It was replaced by a second one in 1852 which was located in front of the hospital. A third cemetery was opened by the Cura Sabogal on October 31, 1910.
In 1929, in the Quinta Coburgo, the candidacy of
Enrique Olaya Herrera was announced. In 1970, the Institute Técnico Universitario (Technical Institute University) was opened. It had been created by ordenance 45 issued on December 19, 1969 and established there by directive 537 on May 8, 1970 by Governor Joaquín Piñeros Corpas.The city's main church has been rebuilt numerous times, and for a variety of reasons. The first church was built in June of 1658 by Father Andrés Méndez de Valdivieso. The second church was built by Father Poveda in 1707, and lasted until 1865. The third church was built soon after by Father Antionio Martínez. It was made of bricks, but collapsed on
September 19 ,1908 . The fourth church was begun in its place onJune 6 ,1909 , and was consecratedAugust 15 ,1926 , soon after its completion. It was consecreated by the localArchbishop ,Ismael Perdomo . However, there were other churches throughout the city's existence, including the Nuestra Señora de Belén (English: Our Lady of Belén), consecrated onAugust 16 ,1786 .Tourism
Due to its warm climate, Fusa includes a lot of vacational hotels and resorts, pool parks, cabin hotels. The
Pan-American highway goes through Fusa territory making it obligued pass to the Colombian cities in the south-west such asIbague ,Neiva ,Cali and others.Over the highway can be seen green houses, a lot of plant and flower stores, handcrafted rustic furniture stores and local food restaurants.
ports
Fusagasugá is home to a football (soccer) team called
Expreso Rojo which plays in the Colombian second division.Famous people from Fusagasugá
*
Lucho Herrera cyclistGallery
External links
* [http://www.cundinamarca.gov.co/cundinamarca/municipios/frm_iniciomunicipio.asp?codigo=32&opcion= Official Fusagasugá website] es
* [http://www.fusagasuga.com/ Unofficial Fusagasugá website] es
* [http://alexhm0.tripod.com/gen/fusa.htm Historical information on Fusagasugá] es
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