Tocaima

Location of the town and municipality of Tocaima in Cundinamarca Department.

Flag of Tocaima

Tocaima is a town and municipality in Cundinamarca, Colombia. Tocaima was founded in March 20, 1544, by Spanish explorer, Hernan Vanegas Carrillo. This small town is most well known for being a warm vacation site during religious holidays, especially for many college students from Bogotá and other surrounding areas. The town is crossed by the Pati River, which sometimes floods the town.

History

Before Spanish colonization it was home to the Amerindian tribe of the Guacana, who belonged to the Panche Amerindian Nation. The city name of Tocaima was given in honor to a legendary warrior from this tribe, during the ruling period of the Cacica Guacana.

It is believed that Tocaima is the only town from the Cundinamarca Department that presently has a royal title and coat of arms issued by the Spanish Monarchy. Charles V issued the royal title and coat of arms in appreciation of the city's loyalty and fame for being a powerful and wealthy region, on February 7, 1549,

In 1581 the city was completely destroyed by an exceptionally devastating flood of the Pati River. President Juan de Borja sent Captain Martin de Ocampo to refound the city, which he did so on March 18, 1621 by constructing the Convent of San Jacinto and its contiguous chapel.

During the decolonization of Columbia from Spain, in 1810, Tocaima was represented in the electoral and constitutional college by jurist Miguel de Tobar y Zerrato and Don Juan salvador Rodriguez de Lago. The Cabildo wass established again in the same year.

The new Constitution of Cundinamarca, created in 1815, divided the nation into Cantones, which provoked a confrontation between the Tocaima Canton and the neighboring Canton of La Mesa. In 1816 Spain ordered a reconquering of the colonies and subsequently repressed the newly created government.

Afer finally defeating the Spanish reconquering process, in 1819, the liberators declared total independence from Spain and created the Republic of Gran Colombia, which, led by General Santander in 1822, re-established the Tocaima Canton.