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Iza is a small town in Boyacá, Colombia, known for its amazing desserts.
Introduction to Iza
Iza comes from the word za, which means “night” in the Chibcha language. The town was founded on January 2, 1556, and was elevated to a municipality on January 2, 1656. It has a thriving handicraft industry, especially production of wool, and the main economic activities are agriculture and mining. The town is also considered the country’s dessert capital, and is known for its beautiful traditional architecture.
Parque Álvaro Díaz Gómez
Parque Álvaro Díaz Gómez is the main plaza in the center of Iza. It’s a pleasant place to visit, with cobblestone paths and benches under tall trees. The plaza is surrounded by colonial buildings and features some local art.
Church of the Divine Savior
The Church of the Divine Savior (Iglesia del Divino Salvador) is on the east side of the plaza. It was originally built as a straw chapel in the early 17th century but burned down in 1675. A year later, it was replaced by an adobe structure. The current church was constructed by the Franciscans in 1678. It houses an image of the Divine Savior, which was found on a stone by Friar Juan Agustín Camacho on April 23, 1748.
Plazoleta de Postres
The Plazoleta de Postres (Desserts Plaza) is a small area a few steps from the main plaza set aside for locals to sell their desserts. We were there on a weekday so there was only one counter open. The woman who served us told us every single counter is full on weekends and people come from all around Colombia to try them.
We were able to get a few portions of different desserts, and each one was amazing. They’re made with fruits, Oreo cookies, chocolate, and several other delicious ingredients. I wish we could have substituted our dinner to try more desserts!
