Sensuntepeque El Salvador is a municipality and town in the department of Cabañas. Sensuntepueque is the head city of the department; it is located about 85 kilometers from San Salvador and 105 kilometers from the international airport. The municipality is near the Honduran border at an altitude of over 800 meters.
The typography of the municipality is of plains surrounded by many hills; Sensuntepeque is known as the municipality of 400 hills. The territory of about 305 square kilometers has a rural area and urban area.
22 Cantons and 197 hamlets (Cacerios) constitute the municipality’s rural area. The urban area (City of Sensutepque) has four neighborhoods (Barrios) and 28 colonies (Colonias).
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Short history of Sensuntepeque El Salvador.
Sensuntepeque is a municipality that dates back to pre-colonial times; Pipil Indians build it around the 15th century.
Sensuntepeque in the Nahuatl language means place of many hills or on top of hills. It is estimated that the municipality has 400 hills in its territory; therefore, Sensuntepeque is the municipality of 400 hills or municipality of many hills.
According to historians, in 1829, Jose Maria Cornejo, chief of state of El Salvador, gave Sensuntepeque the title of Villa. Afterward, in 1865, a legislative decree changed the title of Sensuntepeque from Villa to City.
Tourism in Sensuntepeque.
The municipality of Sensunte is not a top tourist destination in the country or the department. It is a commercial and agricultural municipality.
Most tourists who visit the department of Cabañas head on to the city of Ilobasco. A charming town located about 28 kilometers from Sensuntepeque.
Now, just in case you decide to visit Sensuntepeque, here are some popular touristic attractions worth visiting.
Santa Barbara Church.
Similar to other small towns in the country with pre-colonial ties, the local church is one of the main attractions; Sensuntepeque is the same!
The Santa Barbara church, located net to the central park, is a popular attraction. Locals built this church around 1719; it has the typical colonial-style look.
The church’s façade does not have the features of Baroque influences that most Salvadoran colonial churches have. However, Santa Barbara is a beautiful church worth visiting.
Luciano Hernandez Municipal park.
The city of Sensuntepeque has a similar design to other towns in the country that date back to colonial times. The traditional municipal park is located in the center of the city, in front of the church.
Luciano Hernandez municipal park sits right in front of the Santa Barbara church. This small colorful park has plenty of information about the municipality’s history.
All over the park, you will find plaques and monuments with descriptive information about the history of Sensuntepeque.
Cabañas municipal park in Sensuntepeque.
The Cabañas municipal park in Sensuntepeque is on top of El Pelon hill, one of the numerous hills in this municipality. Two main attractions at this park are the cave and the views.
According to historians, miners created the cave while they were looking for buried treasures hidden by Indians. Indians were desperate to protect their gold from the Spanish that they buried it in this hill.
Of course, many people venture into the cave, which is about 70 meters long; however, it is a small space, so if you don’t like confined spaces, this might not be for you.
The other reason people visit this small park is the scenic views; from here, visitors will have a fantastic view of the city of Sensuntepeque and the surrounding areas.
In fact, on a clear day, from this park, visitors can see as far as Chaparrastique volcano in San Miguel, Izalco volcano in Santa Ana, and Chichontepec volcano in San Vicente.
Sensuntepeque holy week celebrations.
Sesnuntepeque is a top destination to visit during the holy week celebrations, especially for the good Friday night procession. The city is known for building one of the largest Good Friday street carpets in the country.
Sensuntepeque’s Festivities.
The municipality celebrates its festivities in honor of the virgin of Santa Barbara, from November 24th to December 5th.
During these religious celebrations, the city has events such as carnivals, mechanical games, floats, and parades, to name a few.
Economy of Sensuntepeque.
According to the government, this municipality is in one of the poorest regions of the country. The municipality’s principal sources of income are agriculture, farming, and commerce.
The agriculture sector-main productions are corn, beans, and fruits. Local farmers focus principally on growing cattle, pigs, and poultry.
Because of its proximity to Honduras, commerce is one of the largest sectors that helps the local economy.
On Thursdays and Sundays, people from surrounding areas, including Honduras, come to the city of Sensuntepeque looking to buy or sell products.
Sensuntepeque El Salvador.
Sensuntepeque is a typical municipality similar to others found all over the country; it has an excellent history that dates back to pre-Colonial times with great local traditions. This municipality is not a top touristic destination in El Salvador; nevertheless, it is worth visiting!
