Guatavita, Colonial municipality in Cundinamarca, Colombia.
Guatavita is a highland municipality in Cundinamarca located northeast of Bogotá, situated in an area of rolling mountains and farmland. The surrounding terrain shows exposed earth and fields used for crop cultivation across the region.
Spanish conquistador Miguel de Ibarra founded the settlement in 1593 in the lowlands of the region. In 1960, the entire community moved to higher ground to make way for the Tominé Reservoir dam project.
The town center shows how farming shapes daily life, with local markets where residents sell potatoes, corn, and grains grown in nearby fields. You can see how these agricultural traditions continue to define the rhythm of community life.
You can reach the town by paved road from Bogotá, with regular bus services connecting the capital to the municipality. Plan for mountain terrain and cooler weather typical of high-altitude areas.
The town center today is a complete rebuild from after 1960, designed with colonial-style architecture that recalls the original settlement's appearance. This reconstruction happened because the original village site was flooded by the reservoir.
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