Sincelejo () is the capital and largest city of the Colombian department of

Sucre Sucre (; ) is the ''de jure'' capital city of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the sixth most populous city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of . This relatively high ...

in the Caribbean region. It is also the capital of the department's subregion, ''Sabanas'', and is the 25th largest city by population of the country.http://www.dane.gov.co Censo 2005 Dane It is located 30 kilometers from the

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba ...

at the Gulf of Morrosquillo, 125 kilometers from Cartagena, and 200 kilometers from

Barranquilla Barranquilla () is the capital district of the Atlántico department in Colombia. It is located near the Caribbean Sea and is the largest city and third port in the Caribbean region of Colombia, Caribbean coast region; as of 2018, it had a popul ...

Etymology

The origin of the name ''Sincelejo'' is a subject of controversy, and there is no consensus on its source. The most widely accepted theory is that the Spanish city is named after the

cacique A cacique, sometimes spelled as cazique (; ; feminine form: ), was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European cont ...

, Cincel, who is believed to have been the leader of the indigenous people who inhabited the area where the town was founded. One author states, without citation, that this theory is supported by documents in the General National Archives (AGN) in Bogota.

History

In the

pre-columbian era In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...

, the regions lands were inhabited by several groups of indigenous people known as the Zenú. The village of Sincelejo was founded on October 4, 1535, the

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...

of Francis of Assisi, with the name San Francisco de Asís de Sincelejo. The village was part of Alonso Padilla's ''

encomienda The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish Labour (human activity), labour system that rewarded Conquistador, conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. In theory, the conquerors provided the labourers with benefits, including mil ...

'' between 1610 and 1640, and was located on the site of a small Zenú indigenous settlement. At that time, the indigenous people were exploited by the Spanish colonizers, or "encomenderos". On November 21, 1775, Sincelejo was re-founded by the Spanish captain and engineer, Antonio de la Torre y Miranda, following orders from Cartagena's governor, Juan de Torrezar Díaz Pimienta. The construction of the town began with a church, while the lands around the church were given to people who used to live across the region; in order to create a religious and political center within the region. The city plan of Sincelejo was intended to follow the classical Spanish colonial grid, with the main church and its square in the center of the town, but this was not possible because of several creeks that ran through its center. In 1812, Sincelejo became shelter for the revolutionary priests in ''La Rebelión de los Curas'' (the Priests' Insurrection). By 1887, Sincelejo was one of the largest settlements in the Province of Cartagena. In 1908 it became the capital of the short-lived department of Sincelejo (Spanish: ''Departamento de Sincelejo''), ultimately becoming part of the Province of Cartagena again in 1910. In 1912, Sincelejo was nearly destroyed by a

conflagration A conflagration is a large fire in the built environment that spreads via structure to structure ignition due to radiant or convective heat, or ember transmission. Conflagrations often damage human life, animal life, health, and/or property. A c ...

which consumed most of the central zone; nevertheless the town was rebuilt. With the creation of the Sucre Department in 1966, Sincelejo subsequently became its capital.

Geography

The geography of Sincelejo is characterized by a hilly landscape which extends from the mountains to the borders of the plateau in the north and south. The small mountain foothills in the municipality span from the marine fluvial plain in the west to the border shared with the town of Palmito. Erosion is common in the rugged topography of the rolling hills, which are moderately to strongly broken, with slopes between 7 and 50% and altitudes ranging from 50 to 260 meters. Sincelejo is bordered by the municipalities of Palmito and Tolú to the west, Sampués and Córdoba Department to the south, Corozal and Morroa to the east, and Toluviejo to the north.

Climate

Sincelejo has a tropical climate and its temperatures remain fairly consistent throughout the year, with an average temperature of about 27 °C ( 80.6 °F). According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, it has a tropical wet and dry climate (''Aw'') . The drought season usually starts in December and lasts until the end of February. The rainy season then peaks in April or May. In June and July

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwe ...

decreases, in a period called "''Veranillo de San Juan''", until it increases once more.

Administrative divisions

Sincelejo is subdivided into an urban zone and a rural zone. The urban zone is divided into 9 ''Comunas'' ( townships), while the rural has 21 divisions called ''Corregimientos''. Communas * North-east: ''La Selva'' and ''Villa Orieta'' * West: ''San Carlos'' and ''Kennedy'' * South-west: ''Pioneros'' and ''Argelia'' * Central-west: ''Majagual'' and ''El Zumbado'' * Center: ''La Palma'' and ''La Ford'' * North: ''Vega'' and ''La Fé'' * North-west: ''Margaritas'' and ''Florencia'' * South: ''Uribe'' and ''Gran Colombia'' * South-east: ''Verbel'' and ''El ProgresoSincelejo, Knol http://knol.google.com/k/carlos-mario-castro-navarro/sincelejo-colombia/1i29ptfum49sf/18#'' Corregimientos * North (Zone 1): San Rafael, La Arena, La Chivera, Las Majaguas, and La Peñata * West (Zone 2): Las Huertas, Laguna Flor, Cerrito de la Palma, Cruz del Beque, and San Antonio * South (Zone 3): Buenavista, Buenavistica, San Martín, San Jacinto, Cerro del Naranjo, Babilonia, Sabanas del Potreto, and La Gallera * East (Zone 4): Las Palmas, Castañeda, and Chochó

Demographics

As of 2023, Sincelejo had a population of 310,456. 85.1% recognize themselves as Whites,

Arabs Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...

and/or Mestizos, 11.5% recognize themselves as

Indigenous people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

and 3.4% as Afro-Colombians.

Economy

The main economic activities of the municipality of Sincelejo revolve around the land use of neighboring departments, specifically in livestock, agriculture, and commerce. The largest sector within Sincelejo is its livestock sector, and the city has been called the "Capital Cebuísta de Colombia" (English: ''

Zebu The zebu (; ''Bos indicus''), also known as indicine cattle and humped cattle, is a species or subspecies of Bos taurus, domestic cattle originating in South Asia. Zebu, like many Sanga cattle breeds, differs from taurine cattle by a fatty hump ...

Capital of Colombia'') for its prized beef cattle production. Sincelejo also has a significant dairy farming sector, but beef cattle are the dominant contributor to the city's economy. Agriculture is the city's second largest sector, and is characterized by the production of

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...

, yams, and

bananas A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – berry (botany), botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa (genus), Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called pla ...

. Trade, government agencies, and other services supplement the primary activities of the agricultural sector. Industry is beginning to grow in the city with new factories, including Postobón facilities, almidón (starch production), clothing, footwear, icopor (styrofoam), metal equipment, bricks, concrete, construction materials, and wood processing. According to a recent census of the Industry and Commerce department, there are about 3000 businesses operating in the capital.

Culture

The traditional music of Sincelejo includes the

Porro The porro is a musical style and dance from the Caribbean region of Colombia. It is a Colombian cumbia rhythm that developed into its own subgenre. It was originally a folkloric expression from the Sinú River area that evolved into a ballr ...

Fandango Fandango is a lively partner dance originating in Portugal and Spain, usually in triple metre, triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, tambourine or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is u ...

, and

Vallenato Vallenato () is a popular folk music genre from Colombia. It primarily comes from its Caribbean region. ''Vallenato'' literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the ''Sierra Nevada de Santa Mar ...

. The traditional dish of this city is '' mote de queso,'' a soup prepared with cheese. The city is known for its handicrafts made by the native inhabitants, including hammocks and sombreros vueltiaos. The ''sombrero vueltiao'' is also a national symbol of Colombia. The city hosts a number of cultural festivals annually, including the ''Fiestas del dulce nombre de Jesús'', the ''Encuentro Nacional de Bandas'', and the ''Festival Sabanero del Accordeón''. The ''Encuentro Nacional de Bandas'' (English: ''National Meeting of the Band''s) is a musical contest where folk bands perform the traditional musical styles of the Savanna Region:

and

, which has been held annually since 1984. The ''Festival Sabanero del Accordeón'' (English: ''Savanna's Accordion Festival'') has been held since 1974, and celebrates the folk musical styles of the Sabana region played on the

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...

, including the styles of: Paseo, Merengue,

, and Puya.

Corraleja

Sincelejo is best known for its annual festival called ''Fiestas del dulce nombre de Jesús'' (English: ''Celebrations of the Sweet Name of Jesus''), which is held every year on January 20. The entire festival lasts several days, and includes a number of parades, a beauty contest, and

bullfighting Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms wh ...

. Because of the bullfighting tradition, the festival is also known as ''Las Fiestas de Corraleja'', so named after the temporary wooden

bullring A bullring is an arena where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with the Iberian Peninsula, but they can also be found through Iberian America and in a few Spanish and Portuguese ex-colonies in Africa. Bullrings are ...

used for the event, called a corraleja. On January 20, 1980, a combination of

overcrowding Overcrowding or crowding is the condition where more people are located within a given space than is considered tolerable from a safety and health perspective. Safety and health perspectives depend on current environments and on local cultural ...

and panic caused the bullring's wooden bleachers to collapse, killing at least 222 people, although some estimates place the total number at 400. As a result of this tragedy, the Corraleja part of the festival was suspended for several years. In 1999, the municipality reauthorised the annual construction of the wooden structure, which reinstated the bullfighting tradition. Today, the construction of the temporary bullring starts towards the end of December, and civil engineers and architects supervise the project. The bullfighting usually takes place over several days, with different cattle farms supplying about 40 bulls per day. On the final day, the cattle farm with the most entertaining performance is given an official reward. There is no official prize for

bullfighter A bullfighter or matador () is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter, and describe all the performers in the activ ...

s who enter the ring and participate in the festival, but wealthy landowners often offer an unofficial monetary incentive to encourage participation. The

picador A ''picador'' (; pl. ''picadores'') is one of the pair of horse-mounted bullfighters in a Spanish-style bullfight that jab the bull with a lance. They perform in the ''tercio de varas'', which is the first of the three stages in a stylized bull ...

s are usually sourced from local cattle ranches and are paid for their work, though they also benefit from "unofficial incentives". A single day ticket to watch the event typically costs about 15–35

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...

, though the last day of the event is usually more expensive. Like other bullfighting events, the festival is criticized for animal cruelty. It is also subject to criticism for the consumption of alcohol during the event and the lack of training and safety provided to bullfighters. Anyone participating in the event as a bullfighter must purchase insurance, which is sold on site, to cover emergency medical care in the ring.

Sites of interest

Majagual Plaza: Usually called ''La Placita de Majagual'' (English: ''The Little Plaza of Majagual''), it has been referred to in several folk songs by artists such as Joe Arroyo. This plaza was the cite of the city's corralejas for many years before it moved to La Plaza de Mochila. Since then, Majagual Plaza has only been used for sports activities. In 2007, the plaza was refurbished and reopened with a post-modern design featuring an arch-shaped sculpture and a wide square for cultural events.Santander Park: Santander Park opened in 1776, along with the formal establishment of the city. It was the first place that the corralejas were held in the city, and the park hosted the event from 1845 until 1964 when it was moved to Majagual Plaza. Saint Francis of Assisi Cathedral: The ''Catedral San Francisco de Asís'' was established in 1853 and is located adjacent to Santander Park. It is the center of the religious celebrations and festivals in Sincelejo, including ''Las Fiestas del Dulce Nombre de Jesús''. The cathedral is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sincelejo. Sincelejo's Municipality Theater: The theater was established in 1997. Its facilities host concerts, musicals, folk events, and operas. VIVA Sincelejo Shopping Center: The VIVA Sincelejo Shopping Center (Spanish: ''Centro Comercial VIVA Sincelejo'') opened in August 2006, as ''Saint Francisco Shopping Center'' (Spanish: ''Centro Comercial San Francisco)'' on Las Peñitas Avenue (''Avenida Las Peñitas''). In 2011, construction of a new mall in the same place began, which now hosts approximately 91 shops.http://www.exito.com/AmpliarPublicacion.aspx?id=572 Centro Comercial San Francisco

Infrastructure

Media

There are two local daily newspapers which circulate in Sincelejo: ''El Meridiano de Sucre'' and ''El Universal Sincelejo''. There are also regional and national newspapers such as '' El Tiempo'', ''

El Espectador ''El Espectador'' () is a nationally circulated Colombian newspaper founded by Fidel Cano Gutiérrez in 1887 in Medellín and published since 1915 in Bogotá. It was initially published twice a week, 500 issues each, but some years later became ...

,'' and '' El Heraldo''. There are several radio stations, including local stations as well as stations like RCN Radio and Caracol Radio. Sincelejo receives five national television channels: RCN, Caracol, Canal Uno, Señal Colombia and Señal Institucional. There are two cable TV services: Claro and Cable Unión. Claro has the only local TV channel named Canal Doce (Channel 12) which is available for its subscribers. It includes several programs as well as a newscast devoted to Sincelejo and its zone of influence.

Transportation

Sincelejo is known for being an important crossroads on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It is placed close to several important towns in the region –

Montería Montería () is a municipality and city located in northern Colombia and the capital of the Departments of Colombia, Department of Córdoba Department, Córdoba. The city is located away from the Caribbean sea, by the Sinú River. The city and r ...

, Magangué, Coveñas and San Marcos – and it is also relatively close to important cities in Colombia like

, Cartagena,

Valledupar Valledupar () is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department. Its name, ''Valle de Upar'' (Valley of Upar), was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; ''Cacique Upar''. The ...

and

Medellín Medellín ( ; or ), officially the Special District of Science, Technology and Innovation of Medellín (), is the List of cities in Colombia, second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia Departme ...

. There is regular transportation from Sincelejo to these cities by bus and taxi, with taxis being a little more expensive. 15 kilometers away from Sincelejo is Las Brujas Airport where there are daily flights to the major cities of

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

and

Education

As the main city in Sucre and the Sabana Región, Sincelejo has a large number of students, with 35 public schools and several private schools. Universidad de Sucre, the only public university in Sucre, is located in the city. There are also several private universities, including: CECAR, CORPOSUCRE, CUN, Universidad San Martín, Universidad Santo Tomás, as well as a local office of the Universidad de Pamplona. There are several institutions offering technical and technological training the most important being the local facility of SENA. Sincelejo also has several institutions devoted to cultural work such as ''La Escuela de Bellas Artes'' (School of Fine Art) and Batuta.

Gallery

File:Corralejas del 20 de Enero en Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia.jpg, Corralejas At Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia. File:Catedral de Sincelejo, Sede de la Diocesis de Sincelejo.jpg, Francis of Assisi Cathedral. Seat of Diocese of Sincelejo. Roman Catholic. Latin Rite. File:Encuentro Nacional de Bandas Sincelejo.jpg, Encuentro Nacional de Bandas Sincelejo. ( in Spanish: National Bands Meeting Sincelejo). File:Encuentro Nacional de Bandas Sincelejo. Banda San Juan Bautista de Caimito, Sucre, Colombia.jpg, San Juan de Caimito´s Band participating at National Band Meeting. Sincelejo.

Notable residents

Jorge Alfaro Jorge Mario Alfaro Buelvas (born June 11, 1993) is a Colombian professional baseball catcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Miami Marlins, San Diego ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

Player. * Ariadna Gutiérrez, Model and Beauty Pageant Titleholder. * Verónica Alcocer, First Lady of Colombia.

References

{{Authority control Capitals of Colombian departments Municipalities of Sucre Department