Villa de Leyva | |
|---|---|
 Church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname(s): Villa de Nuestra Señora de Santa María de Leyva | |
 Location of the town of Villa de Leyva and the Leyva municipality in Boyacá Department | |
| Coordinates: 5°38′N 73°32′W / 5.633°N 73.533°W | |
| Country |  Colombia |
| Department | Boyacá Department |
| Province | Ricaurte Province |
| Founded | June 12, 1572 |
| Founded by | André Diaz Venero de Leyva |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Josue Javier Castellanos Morales (2020-2023) |
| Area | |
| • City | 128 km2 (49 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,149 m (7,051 ft) |
| Population (2015) | |
| • City | 16,984 |
| • Density | 130/km2 (340/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 9,926 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Colombia Standard Time) |
| Website | Official website |
Villa de Leyva, also called Villa de Leiva, is a touristic colonial town and municipality, in the Ricaurte Province, part of the Boyacá Department of Colombia. The town is a Colombian National Heritage Town and is on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[1] Villa de Leyva is located 37 kilometres (23 mi) west of the departmental capital Tunja. It is about three hours by car or bus from Bogotá.[2]
Located away from major trade routes in a high altitude valley of semi-desert terrain, and with no mineral deposits nearby to exploit, the town has undergone little development in the last 400 years. As a consequence, it is one of the few towns in Colombia to have preserved completely its original colonial style and architecture: the streets and large central plaza are still paved with cobblestones, and many buildings date from the sixteenth century. This has resulted in Villa de Leyva becoming one of Colombia's principal tourist attractions, and it was declared a National Monument on December 17, 1954 to preserve its architecture.[3] The town and the surrounding countryside, which contains several sites of interest, are popular weekend destinations for citizens of Bogotá, and attract an increasing number of foreign tourists.
As a result of its cool temperatures, dry climate, and rich soil, Villa de Leyva has established itself as a wine region, with the emergence of a number of wineries around the town in recent years.[4]
- ^ "South of Ricaurte Province". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
- ^ "Bogotá to Villa de Leyva". Rome2rio. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
- ^ David Carr (October 22, 2009). "Villa de Leyva, a Graceful Window on Colonial Colombia". NY Times. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
- ^ "Four Wine Trails through New World Regions". Wine Enthusiast. 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2020-04-29.