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The only historical information about the foundation of San José de la Playa de Belén is found in the work of Justiniano J. Páez, ´´ Historical News of the city and province of Ocaña´´, says lawyer Guido Pérez Arévalo, in his book ´´ La Playa de Belén´´, from which the following account was taken: ´´ In Chapter XX, from the work of Justiniano J. Páez, it seems the reference of the Bishop of the Diocese of Santa Marta, Fray Bernabé Rojas, of the Dominican Order, to the current municipal territory.

´´Year 1857. On his march from the Cross to Aspasica, that year the Bishop of Santa Marta, Fray Bernabé Rojas, was on a pastoral visit, who stayed in the place of Patatoque at the home of Mr. Jesús Rueda. Juan Esteban Rueda and Tiburcio Álvarez, granted a license to build a chapel built to San José in the area of ​​Llano Alto, where he built the first house. In the same year, Mrs. María Claro de Sanguino - In a footnote, the author continues - built the old chapel in whose support Juan Claro had a main part, it became a beautiful temple that highlights the religiosity of the honorable neighborhood, intelligently directed by the virtuous parish priests Guillermo Gerardino and Alfredo Sánchez Fajardo. The priest Rafael Celedón erected this parish in December 1896, named Moisés Velentini (Italian) as the first priest.

The name of Playa de Belén appears mentioned in some public deeds of February 1818, 44 years before its foundation.





Full Name: La Playa de Belén

Foundation: December 4, 1862

Founder: María Claro de Sanguino

Population: DANE 2005 Census: 8,325 inhabitants.

Altitude: 1,450 meters above sea level

Area: 252 Km2

Climate: Average 20ºC.

Distance to Cúcuta: 222 Km

Geographic coordinates: Longitude west of Greenwich 73º 14´, North Latitude 8º 13´

Limits: North: Hacarí and San Calixto

South: Ábrego

East: Ábrego

West: Ocaña



Administrative Division: Composed of 2 townships and 49 villages

Rivers: Borra and Tarra and some streams such as La Cargamanta, cursica, Playón, Quebrada Arriba, La Chorrera, etc.

Western region

Economy:

Agricultural production in lines such as onion, its main product, beans, tomato

Livestock production such as cattle, pigs and poultry





Holidays:

September 24: Our Lady of the Mercedes, Patroness

June 13: San Antonio de Padua, patron of the Vega de San Antonio

December 27 to 30: Return Party. Santa Catalina, Patroness of Aspasica

Santa Catalina, patron saint of Aspasica

Tourist sites:

The Storages

Playground

Parish church

Tourist Parador

Marta Monica

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