“Villa de Nuestra Señora de Santa María de Leyva”, was founded by Capitán Hernán Suárez de Villalobos on June 12th, 1572, following the First President's of Nueva Granada Kingdom Don Andrés Díaz Venero de Leyva. Located at  2.215 mts. (7.267 feet) over the sea level, with a dry climate and average temperature of  18ºC  (64.4º F) and a  population of  10.000. It has been designated as a Colombian National Monument  by Decree No. 3641, on 1945, notable for its architectural archeological, historic, artistic and ecologic value. It's places of interest are the following:

Town Hall House:
This is where the Town Hall, the Prefecture, the Court and Jail has been since 1966.. An engraved stone lays conmemorating the heroes from Villa de Leyva that where executed there during Colombia´s Independence.

Parochial Church 
Constructed on 1608 on Rodrigo Alvear´s blueprints and correctd by the Italian Architecht  J. Bautista Collucini. The Church is notable for it´s architecture, it´s altars, paintings, statues and the baptismal fountain.

Don Juan de Castellanos House: 
Classical Castillian Architecture, constructed on  1607 by Don Juan de Castellanos, who wrote the history of the Conquest in 15.000 verses. Currently is the Mayo´s Office. The first floor which faces the main square is known as  " Los Portales" ( The Gates).  

Master Acuña´s Museum: 
Paintings, sculptures, gobelin tapestry, fossils and diverse archeological and handcrafted objects collected by the famous painter  Luis Alberto Acuña.  

Pre Historic Museum: 
Representation of the planet and the formation of life. Collection of fossils and prehistoric animals of the primary and quaternary era.

Vargas Vila House: 

This is where the famous journalist and critic José María Vargas Vila lived. While  he wrote " Aura o las Violetas." one of his most notable literary works.

Colombia´s First House of Congress: 
This is where Colombia was officially  born on October 4th 1812, when the first Congress of Colombia took place and Camilo Torres was elected President. The Town Council  is located on the second floor and on the first floor the local Tourism Office.

La Real Fábrica ( The Royal Factory): 
The First Royal Distillation Factory in Colombia now destined to Telecom, communications offices.

 

El Carmen: 
Surrounding the Carmen Square is the Carmelitas Monastery, founded in 1645. It has two beautiful churches, the Carmelitas Novice and the Carmen Museum, considered as the best in Colombia.

San Agustín Convent: 
Founded in 1594 by the Agustine : Mateo Delgado, head Doctor for King Felipe II. In 1880 was founded in the same place, the community  Dominiques of Saint Catalina of Sena, first religious congregation erected in  Colombia.  

Ricaurte House: 
Located on  San Agustín Square,  where Captain Antonio Ricaurte, Colombian Independence Heroe in San Mateo  was born.

Mesopotamia: 
100 mts  (328 feet ) north of  San Agustín Square  is  Molina de la Mesopotamia Inn. It´s construction is prior to  the founding of Villa de Leyva.  

 SORROUNDINGS OF VILLA DE LEYVA

Cronosaur: 
5 km (3.1 miles) from Villa de Leyva the fossil of a marine predator can be seen at the Cronosaur, one of the only two existing in the world. One in Villa de Leyva and on in Australia, it is calculated it is  130 million years old.

Moniquira: 
At a short distance from the Cronosaure, are the ruins of the doctrinary temple constructed by Dominican Missionaries in 1553.

El Infiernito: ( The Little Hell)
Three miles away from  Moniquirá, in the valley where the native city of   Saquencipá was, the ruins of a Native Muisca Observatory can still be seen. The solar center made up of 25 columns with falic motives.

El Cárcamo: 

Following the road to Santa Sofia is El Cácamo Hacienda. It´s house was constructed in 1559. The Independence hero Juan José Neira was born here. He was Jose Acevedo y Gomez´s son in law.  Jose Acevedo y Gomez was called " El tribuno del Pueblo" after he intervened in the Call for Independence on July 20th, 1810 in Bogotá.
 

Candelaria Desert: 
30 kms (18 miles) in Ráquira is the Augustine Convent, founded in 1604, the proper place for contemplative life. It´s museum offers varied museum with great paintings alternating with the simplicity of the work of local artisans, amongst diverse antique objects.

Santo Ecce Homo Convent: 
On the way to Santa Sofía a 13 kms ( 8 miles) from  Villa de Leyva is the convent fournd on  1620 by the Dominican Community.  Currently is a retirement home and Museum of Colonial Art with very valuable paintings and  other artistic objects.

Iguaque Sanctuary:  (Eewa- K)
On the way to  Arcabuco on Km 12  (7.4 miles, a detour is taken all the way to   Carrizal, where the Administrative Center for the Sanctuary for Fauna and  Flora of Iguaque is located”. It has an Inn, restaurant and a camping area. Iguaque has  6750 hectares ( 16,679 acres). According to the Native Muisca leyend, the birthplace of Humanity is located there. This is where the Mother Bachue gave birth her son Bóchica.

Sáchica:  

7 Kms ( 4.3 miles) from Villa de Leyva is Sáchica for it´s doctrinary temple and altar cross.

Tinjacá:

In Tinjacá you will be able to learn about Tagua, the fruit from a Palm from which its locals manufacture beautiful and colorful handcrafts
 

Sutamarchán: 
Nearby town Founded in 1556 and famous for the production of it´s delicious spicy pork sausages.

Ráquira: 
Raquira is a nearby town, famous for its ceramics and pottery handcrafted works. Raquira is in Native Chibcha " The City of Pots". Famous for its Colony of Artisans who produce traditional Andean Pottery.