Nobsa

The ruana is the standard outer garment of the Colombian highlands - a rectangle of thick wool with a slit for the head, open at the front, worn against the cold at altitude - and Nobsa is where it is most associated with being made. Workshops through the town spin, dye and weave, some on pedal looms and some still on backstrap looms, and the whole main street is effectively a run of wool shops selling ruanas, blankets and knitwear. Wool comes from sheep in the surrounding highlands. The town also has a colonial plaza and a viewpoint over the Sogamoso valley, and a considerable share of the country's steel is made at the Paz del Rio plant a short distance away, which is the other local industry.

History

Before the Spanish conquest the area belonged to the Muisca Confederation and was ruled by the Tundama, and the Chibcha name is said to mean decent bath of today. Modern Nobsa was founded on 9 January 1593 by Jerónimo Holguín and Misael Millán, at 2,510 metres on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, with the Chicamocha River flowing through the municipality (Wikipedia, Nobsa).

Highlights

• Ruanas woven on the spot - pedal and backstrap looms in workshops.
• A main street of wool shops - ruanas, blankets and knitwear.
• A colonial plaza - with a valley viewpoint.
• Highland sheep wool - from the surrounding country.

When to go

Year round; you will want a ruana at this altitude. Half a day.

Practical notes

Much of what is sold is machine-made - hand-woven pieces cost considerably more and are worth asking about. The town is small. Weekends are busier. Industrial works nearby affect the surroundings.

Nearby

Tibasosa is south; Sogamoso is east.