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Sincelejo is the capital and largest city of the Colombian department of Sucre. It is also the main city in the denominated Región Sabanas (Savannas Region), a subdivision of the Caribbean Region of Colombia, and the 23rd largest city by population in Colombia. It is located 30 kilometers from the Caribbean Sea by the Gulf of Morrosquillo, 125 kilometers from Cartagena, and 200 kilometers from Barranquilla. [edit] History
The land comprising Sincelejo was inhabited in the Prehispanic age by several groups of indigenous people known as the Zenú. Sincelejo was founded on October 4, 1535, the feast day of Francis of Assisi, with the name San Francisco de Asís de Sincelejo. The village used to be a part of Alonso Padilla's encomienda between 1610 and 1640, and was located on the site of a small Zenú indigenous settlement. At that time the indigenous people were overpowered and 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, the lands around the church given to people who used to live across the region; this was to create a religious and political center in the zone. 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 the town. 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 leading towns in the Province of Cartagena. In 1908 it became the short-lived capital of the department of Sincelejo, ultimately becoming part of the Province of Cartagena again in 1910. In 1912, Sincelejo almost disappeared because of a massive conflagration which destroyed most of the central zone; nevertheless the town was rebuilt. With the creation of the Sucre Department in 1966, Sincelejo subsequently became the capital. On January 20, 1980, the Corralejas Stadium collapsed, killing at least 200 people. [edit] Research Tips
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