Ciudad de Tunja
—  City  —
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Tunja in the department of Boyacá
Ciudad de Tunja Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 5°32′N 73°22′W / 5.533°N 73.367°W / 5.533; -73.367Coordinates: 5°32′N 73°22′W / 5.533°N 73.367°W / 5.533; -73.367
Country	Colombia
Department	Boyacá
Province	Central Boyacá Province
Founded	August 6, 1539
Established	March 29, 1541
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Fernando Flórez
Area
• City	118 km2 (46 sq mi)
• Urban	13 km2 (5 sq mi)
Elevation	2,820 m (9,250 ft)
Population (2011)
• City	171.082
• Density	1.4/km2 (3.8/sq mi)
	[1]
Area code(s)	150001-150009
Website	tunja.gov.co

Tunja (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtuŋxa]) is a city and municipality located in the central part of Colombia, in the region of "Alto Chicomocha". As of the 2005 Census it had 152,419 inhabitants.^[1] It is the capital of the Department of Boyacá and part of the subregion of the Central Boyacá Province. It is approximately 145 km from Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, and takes about 2–3 hours to reach by car or bus. Tunja is known for being a center for education and is home to many Colegios (high schools) and universidades (universities). Founded in 1539, it is more than 450 years old, and in addition holds archaeological treasures that predate the colonial era.

Tunja is a tourist destination. In addition to its religious and historical sites it is host to several internationally known festivals and is a jumping-off point for regional tourist destinations such as Villa de Leyva, Paipa, and Sierra Nevada del Cocuy. It is also a stop on the Pan American Highway which connects Tunja to Bogota and Santa Marta and eventually to Northern and Southernmost parts of the Americas.

Demographics and Geography[link]

Tunja has a population of approximately 160,000 inhabitants and is located in north central Colombia. It has an elevation of 2.820 meters above sea level.

Security and living conditions[link]

Tunja has the lowest homicide rate in Colombia and below average in Latin America according to the latest report from the International Centre of the Prevention of Crime for 2010,^[2][3] which is 7 with respect to the most dangerous city that is 128 crimes per hundred thousand inhabitants. According to other sources, this value is four times lower than the national average.^[4] Tunja is an example of a safe city.^[5]

History[link]

This Colombian historical city was founded on August 6, 1539 by the Spanish captain, Gonzalo Suarez Rendon, in the domain of "El Zaque", one of the chiefs of the Muiscas tribe.

The city was also the capital of the short lived state of the United Provinces of New Granada from 1810 to 1816.

Tunja is now a university city; one out of every five inhabitants is a student.

Tourism[link]

Emerald Quarter

Relevant historical and touristic sites[link]

The street are called in accord to 472^[6] and google^[7] nomenclatures; (C:Calle), (K:Carrera), (S:South), (E: East), (A: Ave).

Southern Sector

Eastern Sector

Downtown

Northern Sector

Festivals[link]

• International Festival of Culture ^[10]
• Holy Week (Semana Santa) ^[11]
• Aguinaldo Boyacense ^[12]

Bolivar Square, Downtown.

Shopping[link]

Downtown[link]

People have been shopping in downtown Tunja for over 450 years. There you can find gift shops, bakeries, bars, discothèques, cafés, clothing stores, and more.

• El Cid - an indoor shopping center with many small shops
• El Virrey
• Teatro Boyacá
• Cinema Boyacá

Train station, the historic center DHC Tunja

Shopping Malls[link]

Unicentro is an American style shopping center that features a Carrefour and a Cinemark Theatres.

Traditional Markets[link]

Plaza de Marcado del Norte Plaza de Marcado del Sur

Notable people[link]

• Josefa del Castillo y Guevara
• Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
• Juan Carlos Pinzón
• Jose Joaquin Ortiz
• Rafael Humberto Moreno Durán
• Pedro Alvarez Espinosa
• Carlos Arturo Torres
• Guillermo Prieto La Rotta

Education[link]

Tunja well as being important historically, is also notable for his great contribution to education in Colombia, despite being a small town considered a large part of its population are students between high school and university. Tunja has a large number of colleges, among these is the College of Boyaca, first public school in the territories of Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama and Colombia when these countries were part of Gran Colombia. It was founded on 20 October 1822 by the Vice President Francisco de Paula Santander. Among the most relevant schools are:

Boyaca Bridge in Tunja, a place where sealed the independence of Colombia

• Colegio de Boyacá
• Institucion Educativa San Jeronimo Emiliani
• Colegio Salesiano Maldonado
• Colegio INEM Carlos Arturo Torres
• Colegio de la Presentación
• Gimnasio Campestre del Norte.
• Colegio Municipal Silvino Rodríguez
• Normal Superior Santiago de Tunja.
• Escuela Normal Femenina "Leonor Álvarez Pinzón"
• Colegio Los Angeles
• Colegio Militar Juan José Rondón
• Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
• Colegio Gustavo Rojas Pinilla.
• Colegio Andino

Universities[link]

Tunja is the location of one of four national universities in the country, Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia was founded by General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. Other universities are:

• Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia
• University of Boyaca
• Universidad Santo Tomás
• Escuela Superior de Administración Pública E.S.A.P.
• Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD)
• Fundacion Universitaria Juan de Castellanos
• Corporación Universitaria Remington(CUR-Cread Boyacá)
• Universidad Antonio Nariño
• Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana de Colombia
• Instituto Universitario de la Música y las Artes

Sports[link]

Overview of the Independence Stadium before the renovation. The city has two professional football teams. Boyaca Chico and Patriotas F.C. are playing in the Colombian Professional Football A league. Both play their games at La Independencia Stadium located at the north of the city. The stadium was rebuilt for the Copa Libertadores 2009, expanding capacity to 20,630 spectators and meeting FIFA specifications. The city organized the 2008 South American U-20 Futsal Cup, in which Brazil was awarded as the champion. Colombia secured the fourth position in the tournament. Now, the stadium is in a remodelation process. Although, the city has a professional basketball team called Patriotas that play in the Saludcoop Invitational Cup. This team play its matches in the Municipality Colosseum that has a capacity to 5,000 spectators.

[edit] Sister cities^{[citation needed]}

• Bogota, Colombia
  

  

  Far North Tunja, and southwest of Oicatá incorporated into the district of Tunja

• Florencia, Colombia
• Valledupar, Colombia
• Guayaquil, Ecuador
• Juliaca, Peru
• Sucre, Bolivia
• Cucuta, Colombia
• Barcelona, Venezuela
• Corrientes, Argentina

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tunja entry in Wikipedia Español
  File:Centro Histórico Tunja.jpg

  Tunja Historical Center
• Tunja Distrito Cultural y Turístico www.expotunja.com
• of Tunja Municipal Government
• News from Tunja at El Diario de Tunja
• News from Tunja at Excelsio
• News from Tunja at Mi Tunja.net

v t e Provinces and Municipalities in Boyacá Department Central Boyacá Province Cómbita Cucaita Chiquiza Chivatá Motavita Oicatá Siachoque Samacá Sora Soracá Sotaquira Toca Tunja Tuta Ventaquemada Northern Boyacá Province Boavita Covarachía La Uvita San Mateo Sativanorte Sativasur Soatá Susacón Tipacoque Western Boyacá Province Briceño Buenavista Caldas Chiquinquirá Coper La Victoria Maripí Muzo Otanche Pauna Quipama Saboyá San Miguel de Sema San Pablo de Borbur Tununguá Eastern Boyacá Province Almeida Chivor Guateque Guayatá La Capilla Somondoco Sutatenza Tenza Gutiérrez Province Chiscas El Cocuy El Espino Guacamayas Güicán Panqueba La Libertad Province Labranzagrande Pajarito Paya Pisba Lengupá Province Berbeo Campohermoso Miraflores Páez San Eduardo Zetaquirá Márquez Province Boyacá Ciénaga Jenesano Nuevo Colón Ramiriquí Rondón Tibaná Turmequé Úmbita Viracachá Neira Province Chinavita Garagoa Macanal Pachavita San Luis de Gaceno Santa María Ricaurte Province Arcabuco Chitaraque Gachantivá Moniquirá Ráquira Sáchica San José de Pare Santa Sofía Santana Sutamarchán Tinjacá Togüí Villa de Leyva Sugamuxi Province Aquitania Cuitiva Firavitoba Gámeza Iza Mongua Monguí Nobsa Pesca Sogamoso Tibasosa Tópaga Tota Tundama Province Belén Busbanzá Cerinza Corrales Duitama Floresta Paipa Santa Rosa de Viterbo Tutasá Valderrama Province Beteitiva Chita Jericó Paz de Río Socotá Socha Tasco Boyacá Frontier District Cubará Boyacá Special Handling Zone Puerto Boyacá