Tunja, Colonial capital in Eastern Ranges, Colombia
Tunja is a large settlement in the Eastern Ranges of Colombia, sitting at 2782 meters (9127 feet) above sea level within Central Boyacá Province. The city preserves colonial buildings, churches, and traces of indigenous heritage across a mountainous setting shaped by a cool high-altitude climate.
Captain Gonzalo Suárez Rendón founded the settlement on August 6, 1539, on the site of the former indigenous town of Hunza, governed by the Muisca civilization. This refoundation marked the start of Spanish rule in the region and reshaped the urban layout permanently.
The Museo Casa del Fundador displays ceiling murals with exotic animals that artists painted from European literature without ever seeing the creatures in real life. These imaginative works connect colonial ideas with skilled craftsmanship and offer insight into how people pictured the world back then.
The center gathers many hotels, restaurants, and craft breweries within walking distance of each other. The central bus terminal connects the city to other major places in Colombia and makes onward travel straightforward.
The Casa de Don Juan de Vargas revealed hidden animal-filled murals when an old ceiling collapsed one day. This accidental discovery preserved artworks from the early colonial period that had remained unseen for centuries.
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