San Juan del Cesar
Encyclopedia
San Juan del Cesar is a municipality and town located in the La Guajira Department, Colombia
.
.
indigenous tribe
, led during that time by a Cacique
named "Marocazo". It was founded on June 24, 1701 by Captain Salvador Felix Arias Pereira with the name of Villa of San Juan Bautista, over Mount Yiyirigak by the Cesar River
. Arias-Pereira was in a mission to "pacify" the indigenous tribes in rebellion; the Tupes, Coyaimas, Conopans and Marocazos.
The Villa of San Juan immediately became a pass for people traveling between Valledupar
and the port of Riohacha
, back then an important commercial route flowing with cattle and agricultural products. The first church was built by Priest
Gonzalo Suárez Oñate.
and the Serrania del Perija
by the Cesar River
and close to the Ranchería River
. It borders to the north with the municipality of Riohacha
and Distracción
, to the south with the municipalities of Villanueva
, El Molino and the Cesar Department
. To the east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, to the west again with the municipality of Riohacha, Dibulla
and Cesar Department covering a total area of 1,415 km². The urban area of San Juan del Cesar covers 10% of this area; 141 km² and the rural area 90%; 1,274 km².
San Rafael, Regional, La Victoria, Juan Bautista Forero, Loma Fresca,
Manzanillo, Paraíso de Betel, La Esperanza, 16 de Julio, Norte Félix Arias, 20 de
Julio, Buenos Aires, El Prado, Las Delicias, Alpes, Enrique Brito, El Carmen,
San Francisco, Juan Antonio Araujo, Rafael de Armas, Las Tunas I y II,
Chiquinquirá, Villa Hermosa, Manuel Antonio Dávila, San Juan Bautista,
Chapinero, Los Ángeles and Los Olivos.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
Etymology
San Juan Bautista del Cesar name in John the Baptist and Chet-tzar or Sasare indigenous language for calm water, the name of the Cesar RiverCesar River
The Cesar River is a river in northern Colombia which is a part of the Magdalena Basin. It separates the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the mountain ranges of the Serrania del Perija an extension of the Cordillera Oriental...
.
History
The region San Juan del Cesar was inhabited by ArhuacosArhuacos
The Arhuaco people, also called the Aruacos, Ica, Ijca or Bintuk, names of a Native American ethnic group part of the Chibcha family, descendents of the Tairona Culture concentrated in northern Colombia in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.-Territory:The Arhuacos live in the upper valleys of the...
indigenous tribe
Indigenous peoples in Colombia
The indigenous peoples in Colombia comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country's present territory prior to its discovery by Europeans around 1500.-Origins:...
, led during that time by a Cacique
Cacique
Cacique is a title derived from the Taíno word for the pre-Columbian chiefs or leaders of tribes in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles...
named "Marocazo". It was founded on June 24, 1701 by Captain Salvador Felix Arias Pereira with the name of Villa of San Juan Bautista, over Mount Yiyirigak by the Cesar River
Cesar River
The Cesar River is a river in northern Colombia which is a part of the Magdalena Basin. It separates the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the mountain ranges of the Serrania del Perija an extension of the Cordillera Oriental...
. Arias-Pereira was in a mission to "pacify" the indigenous tribes in rebellion; the Tupes, Coyaimas, Conopans and Marocazos.
The Villa of San Juan immediately became a pass for people traveling between Valledupar
Valledupar
Valledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department and was founded in 1550 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Santana. Its name, Valle de Upar , was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar...
and the port of Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
, back then an important commercial route flowing with cattle and agricultural products. The first church was built by Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
Gonzalo Suárez Oñate.
Geography
The municipality of San Juan del Cesar is located between the mountain ranges of the Sierra Nevada de Santa MartaSierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated mountain range apart from the Andes chain that runs through Colombia. Reaching an altitude of 5,700 metres above sea level just 42 km from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the world's highest coastal range...
and the Serrania del Perija
Serrania del Perija
The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch , in northern South America, between Colombia and Venezuela, ending further north in the Guajira Desert, a total distance of about 310 km...
by the Cesar River
Cesar River
The Cesar River is a river in northern Colombia which is a part of the Magdalena Basin. It separates the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the mountain ranges of the Serrania del Perija an extension of the Cordillera Oriental...
and close to the Ranchería River
Ranchería River
The Ranchería River is a river located in northern La Guajira Department, Colombia. Born in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta southern steps flows south, abruptly turns northeast and then north towards the Caribbean sea where it finally flows into.-2007 Floods:...
. It borders to the north with the municipality of Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
and Distracción
Distracción, La Guajira
Distracción is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of La Guajira. Founded in 1845 by a man from neighboring Barrancas named Antonio María Vidal on the right margin of the Ranchería River....
, to the south with the municipalities of Villanueva
Villanueva, La Guajira
Villanueva is a town and municipality located in the northern Department of La Guajira, Colombia. Villanueva is known in Colombia for being the cradle of many vallenato singers and composers...
, El Molino and the Cesar Department
Cesar Department
Cesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...
. To the east with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, to the west again with the municipality of Riohacha, Dibulla
Dibulla, La Guajira
Dibulla is a town and municipality located in the Department of La Guajira, Colombia by the Caribbean sea and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains on the Guajira Peninsula...
and Cesar Department covering a total area of 1,415 km². The urban area of San Juan del Cesar covers 10% of this area; 141 km² and the rural area 90%; 1,274 km².
Neighborhoods
The municipality seat of San Juan del Cesar had in 2003 some 35 neighborhoods; Villa Corelca, Gran Colombia, Manzanares, El Centro, La Floresta,San Rafael, Regional, La Victoria, Juan Bautista Forero, Loma Fresca,
Manzanillo, Paraíso de Betel, La Esperanza, 16 de Julio, Norte Félix Arias, 20 de
Julio, Buenos Aires, El Prado, Las Delicias, Alpes, Enrique Brito, El Carmen,
San Francisco, Juan Antonio Araujo, Rafael de Armas, Las Tunas I y II,
Chiquinquirá, Villa Hermosa, Manuel Antonio Dávila, San Juan Bautista,
Chapinero, Los Ángeles and Los Olivos.
Corregimientos
- Cañaverales
- Caracolí
- Corral de Piedras
- El Totumo
- Guayacanal
- La Junta
- La Peña
- Los Haticos
- Los Pondores
- Villa del río
Veredas
- Boca del Monte
- Copo de Nieve
- Curazao
- El Caney
- El Capuchino
- El Carmen
- El Limón
- El Machín
- El Pital
- El Placer
- El Playón
- El Voladorcito
- Farias
- La Loma del Potrero
- Los Tamacos
- Los Tunales
- Piloncito
- Sabana Grande
- Sabanas de Joaquina
- San Benito
- Tocapalma
- Torcuatopinto
- Ulago