Gachalá

This article is about the municipality in Colombia. For the emerald discovered there, see Gachalá Emerald.

Gachalá
Municipality and town
Central square and church of Gachalá
Flag Seal
Location of the municipality and town of Gachalá inside Cundinamarca Department of Colombia
Gachalá Location in Colombia
Coordinates: 4°41′35″N 73°31′12″W
Country	Colombia
Department	Cundinamarca
Province	Guavio Province
Founded	22 February 1810
Founded by	Mariano de Mendoza y Bueno
Government
• Mayor	Germán Martínez Beltrán (2016-2019)
Area
• Municipality and town	448.29 km2 (173.09 sq mi)
Elevation	1,712 m (5,617 ft)
Population  (2015)
• Municipality and town	5,715
• Density	13/km2 (33/sq mi)
• Urban	2,025
Time zone	UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time)
Website	Official website

Gachalá is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Guavio Province, part of the department of Cundinamarca. The urban centre of Gachalá is situated at a distance of 148 kilometres (92 mi) from the capital Bogotá at an altitude of 1,712 metres (5,617 ft) in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. The municipality borders the western portion of the split municipality Ubalá and the department of Boyacá in the north, the eastern part of Ubalá and Medina in the east, Fómeque, Junín and Gama in the west and Fómeque, Medina and the department of Meta in the south.

Etymology

The name of Gachalá is derived from Chibcha and means "clay vessel of the night" or "defeat of the night".

History

Before the Spanish conquest of the Muisca, Gachalá was inhabited by the Chío tribe, belonging to the Muisca. As of 1548, the terrain of Gachalá belonged to the cacique of Guatavita.

Modern Gachalá was founded on February 22, 1810, by Mariano de Mendoza y Bueno.

Economy

Main economical activity in Gachalá is the hydroelectric plant of the Guavio Reservoir. Also emerald mining is an important source of income for Gachalá. The 858 carats (171.6 g) Gachalá Emerald was found in and named after Gachalá.

Born in Gachalá

• Gonzalo Correal Urrego, anthropologist and archaeologist

Gallery

• 
  Church of Gachalá
• 
  Gachalá Emerald

View of the Guavio Reservoir