Fusagasugá
Municipality and city
Palmas Avenue, Center
Flag Seal
Nickname:  The Garden City of Colombia
Motto:  Tierra Grata Pleasing Earth
Location of the town and municipality of Fusagasugá in Cundinamarca Department.
Fusagasugá
Coordinates: 4°20′42.55″N 74°21′42.56″W / 4.3451528°N 74.3618222°W / 4.3451528; -74.3618222
Country	Colombia
Region	Andean Region
Department	Cundinamarca
Province	Sumapaz Province
Established as Town for Natives	February 5–13, 1592
Established as Town for Whites	May 7, 1776
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Jairo Hortúa
Area [1][2][3][4]
• Municipality and city	193.9 km2 (74.9 sq mi)
• Urban	14.42 km2 (5.57 sq mi)
• Rural [1]	179.48 km2 (69.30 sq mi)
Elevation [5]	1,765 m (5,791 ft)
Highest elevation [5]	3,050 m (10,010 ft)
Lowest elevation [5]	550 m (1,800 ft)
Population  (2018 census)[6]
• Municipality and city	138,498
• Density	710/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
• Urban	114,722
• Urban density	8,000/km2 (21,000/sq mi)
• Rural	23,776
• Rural density	130/km2 (340/sq mi)
Demonym	fusagasugueño
Area code	57 + 1
Website	www.fusagasuga-cundinamarca.gov.co (in Spanish)

Fusagasugá (Spanish pronunciation: [fusaɣasuˈɣa]; from Cariban fusagasuga 'woman who becomes invisible') or Fusa is a city and municipality in the department of Cundinamarca, in central Colombia. It is located in the warm valley between the rivers Cuja and Panches, a central region of the Andes Mountains in South America. The municipality has a population of 138,498 and the urban centre a population of 114,722 (2018 census) .^[6] The municipality itself covers an area of 194 km² (75 sq mi).^{[1][3][5][7][2][8]}

It was founded in 1592 by Spanish priests. The town located some 56 kilometers from the capital, Bogotá; borders Pasca, Arbeláez, Tibacuy, Silvania and other municipalities of Sumapaz. Its elevation is 5,669 feet (1,728 m) above sea level, and the average temperature 20 °C (68 °F).

Toponymy

The interpretation of the name in Spanish varies from "Mujer que se hace invisible" (Woman who becomes invisible) to "Mujer que se esconde tras la montaña" (Woman who hides herself behind the mountain). However, many people shorten its name to "Fusa".

The city has been named "Tierra Grata" due to the farms (Quintas) located on its territory. And commonly is called The Garden City of Colombia ("La Ciudad Jardín de Colombia") for the production of Orchids.

History

The Sutagao people inhabited the region until the new town was founded by Oídor Bernardino Albornoz between 5–13 February 1592. Not much is known about the previous indigenous residents. During the visit of Oídor Ibarra, there were 759 indigenous people residing in Fusagasugá. When Oídor Aróstequi arrived in February 1760, the indigenous population had dwindled to 85, and there were 644 new settlers divided among 109 families. On February 19, 1760, a small hospital was established near the church and Father Vicente de Fresneda was given charge of it.

During a visit, two officials, Moreno and Escandón, considering the decline in the indigenous population and the corresponding growth in the local settler population, issued a decree on January 8, 1776 that the native villages in the Fusagasugá area, Pandi and Tibacuy, no longer existed, and consolidated them into the present-day city of Pasca. In the wake of this decision, all streets and plazas in the cities were renamed.

In 1771, on the direction of the mayor of Fusagasugá, the viceroy Messia de la Zerda ordered the construction of a new avenue, Santafé, which would go from Fusagasugá, passing through the nearby town of Sibaté. On August 8, 1774, Father Francisco Escobar announced that Fusagasugá was on the road that passed over the mountains and led to the neighboring towns of Apicalá and Melgar; such that travelers could not reach Bermajal, located on the same mountain as Fusagasugá, without passing through Fusagasugá. This established the suburb's local importance.

In a directive issued August 7, 1846, the president of the Colombian republic nationally recognized the road from Fusagasugá to the southern provinces, which prompted the construction of a road over the Sumapaz River in Boquerón. In 1852, Fusagasugá became part of the province of Tequendama.

On February 9, 1877, a battle took place in the hacienda El Novillero between government forces led by General Mogollón and the rebels led by Colonel Juan Ardila and Lucas Moreno. The first hospital was constructed in 1893 by the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with money donated by Don Manuel María Aya Caicedo and Lady Sagrado Cleofé Diaz, who also founded an adjoining nursing home. Following a directive issued on December 20, 1895, Fusagasugá was made capital of Sumapaz Province, which was created by National Directive 489 on November 7, 1895 and made into Law 162 in 1896.

On February 22, 1893, Dr José Manuel Goenaga, minister of works of President Miguel Antonio Caro, contracted the construction of a highway between Sibaté, Fusagasugá, and Boquerón. The project's engineer was Enrique Pabón Liévano, a native of Fusagasugá. The project was commenced in 1905 under the administration of President Rafael Reyes but suspended on February 10, 1906 because of an attack by the Barro Colorado. It resumed in March 1913. The highway reached Fusagasugá in 1930 and Arbeláez in 1934.

In 1907, an iron and wood bridge was finished over the Sumapaz River in Boquerón which was given the name "Puente Eliseo Medina" to honor the administration of the time. In 1930, the bridge was used by automobiles for the first time, and was replaced by the current bridge in 1953.

By article 12 of ordinance 21 in 1944, the construction of a highway between Fusagasugá and Boquerón by the river Llano commenced.

The first cemetery, which was on the site of "Pekin" opened in 1822. It was replaced by a second one in 1852 which was located in front of the hospital. A third cemetery was opened by the Cura Sabogal on October 31, 1910.

In 1929, in the Quinta Coburgo, the candidacy of Enrique Olaya Herrera was announced. In 1970, the Institute Técnico Universitario (Technical Institute University) was opened. It had been created by ordinance 45 issued on December 19, 1969 and established there by directive 537 on May 8, 1970 by Governor Joaquín Piñeros Corpas.^{[citation needed]}

The city's main church has been rebuilt numerous times, and for a variety of reasons. The first church was built in June 1658 by Father Andrés Méndez de Valdivieso. The second church was built by Father Poveda in 1707, and lasted until 1865. The third church was built soon after by Father Antonio Martínez. It was made of bricks, but collapsed on September 19, 1908. The fourth church was begun in its place on June 6, 1909, and was consecrated August 15, 1926, soon after its completion. It was consecrated by the local Archbishop, Ismael Perdomo.^{[citation needed]} However, there were other churches throughout the city's existence, including the Nuestra Señora de Belén (English: Our Lady of Bethlehem), consecrated on August 16, 1786.

During World War II, a hotel in the city was used as an internment camp for citizens of Axis power countries.

Geography

Climate

The urban territory is between 550 m and 3,050 m above sea level, with an average height 1,728 m (5,669 ft). Its average temperature is 19 °C (66 °F).^[9]

The relative humidity of the municipality and other climatic subzones of the municipality, is 85%, with monthly highs of 93% and lows of 74%.

The average wind speed at 7:00 am is 1.0 m/s, 13:00 2.7 m/s. At 19:00 it is 1.1 m/s, with a monthly maximum of 10.4 m/s; at 13:00 and monthly minimum 0 m/s (calm) at 19:00.

The municipality has annual precipitation of over 1,250 mm. The rainy months are March, April, May, October, November, December. The dry months are January, February, June, July, August, September. The total annual precipitation measurement at five stations is 1389.4 mm. The aridity index of 47.79 corresponds to Semi-arid. There is an average of 1560 sunshine hours per year (130 hours per month) and average evaporation of 1105.9 mm per year.