History of Villa de Leyva

The Villa de Santa María de Leyva was founded on June 12, 1572. The main purpose of the town's founding was to create a place where Spanish soldiers could settle after the war of conquest, and also to serve as a large food pantry for the surrounding populations, due to its potential for wheat cultivation. This is why Villa de Leyva has one of the largest squares in South America, since it was there that military regiments were formed and given orders and was a source of supply.

Traveling to Villa de Leyva is traveling through time, one of the few places in the world where so much history and culture converges and concentrates in the middle of a majestic natural landscape.

In Villa de Leyva you will find fossilized remains of prehistoric creatures, such as the 115 million year old Kronosaurus; the Ichthyosaur, 110 to 115 million years old, and Pliosaurs, 130 million years old.

Human presence in the area dates back 12,000 years, and valuable archaeological finds from the Muisca culture reside there, such as the Zaquencipá observatory, the pictographs of Sáchica, Iguaque, and many pieces of pre-Hispanic pottery and sculpture.

In the mountainous part of Villa de Leyva is located the Iguaque Flora and Fauna sanctuary, a sacred place of the Muisca culture where, according to their cosmogony, the Goddess Bachué emerged with her son in her arms to give rise to humanity.

Its beauty and contribution to the history of Colombia led Villa de Leyva to be recognized as a national monument on December 17, 1954. That is why it still preserves colonial buildings such as the Candelaria convent (founded by the Augustinians in 1604) and the Santo Ecce-Homo convent (founded by the Dominicans in 1620), as well as emblematic spaces from the time of independence from the Spanish crown; such as the Congress House, the House of Antonio Ricaurte and the House of Don Antonio Nariño.

This is Villa de Leyva, a town with unique architecture, brimming with culture, where you can visit art galleries, taste unparalleled cuisine, practice adventure sports and take ecological walks through natural sanctuaries full of mystical calm.

The traces and history that lie in Villa de Leyva connect us with ourselves and make us reflect on where we come from, where we have been, and make us fully live a present full of emotion, to become aware of where we are going, that is traveling to Villa de Leyva.