The City of Gold

The legendary city of El Dorado is thought to have lain near the present-day city of Bogota, Colombia. The name “El Dorado” literally is translated to “The Golden One” in Spanish. As legend has it, the Zipa, or King, of El Dorado would pay tribute to a deity that lived in Lake Guatavita by covering himself in gold dust and swim the lake. The people of El Dorado would throw jewels and gold into the lake as he had his swim. A city of such treasure has sparked the interest of many explorers, including Gonzalo Pizzaro, who led a team of 300 soldiers along with thousands of Indians to search the land for El Dorado only to be met with famine, disease, and death. The city of El Dorado is still yet to be discovered.