Tequendama Falls | |
---|---|
Salto del Tequendama | |
Location | Soacha, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
Coordinates | 4°34′27″N 74°17′36″W / 4.57417°N 74.29333°W |
Elevation | 2,385 m (7,825 ft) |
Total height | 132 m (433 ft) |
Number of drops | 1 |
Watercourse | Bogotá River |
The Tequendama Falls (Spanish: Salto del Tequendama) is a 132 metres (433 ft) high waterfall of the Bogotá River, located 32 kilometres (20 mi) southwest of Bogotá in the municipality of Soacha. Named after the adjacent settlement of Tequendama, it holds historical significance as one of Colombia's earliest permanent settlements.[1] The falls were painted in 1854 by Frederic Edwin Church.[2] One of the country's tourist attractions, the falls are located in a forested area 32 kilometres (20 mi) west of Bogotá. The river surges through a rocky gorge that narrows to about 18 metres (59 ft) at the brink of the 132 metres (433 ft) high falls. During the month of December the falls become completely dry. The falls, once a common site for suicides,[3] may be reached by road from Bogotá.