T U R I S M
TOURISTIC PLACES
ANTIGUO QUILMES
Ruins of the milenary city of the Quilmes indians, ancient and brave race that had resisted for 130 years the Spaniards' dominating pressure.
These indians were respected by the imperial army of Cuzco as well as they assimilated their culture, improving their own traditions.
Proud and untamed, they did not accept the submission by force, and resisted it for more than a century, when the Spaniards tried to conquer them.
The violent eradication they suffered from when they were taken by walking at 1200 kms from their mountains, served to temper that pride, and slowly they were disappearing, until it only remained the name of Quilmes in Buenos Aires, and these ruins, to remember their freedom's epopey.
MENHIRES
In the Calchaquíes Valleys and skirting La Angostura Dike is the Los Menhires Park or Long Stones.
They are surprising mute testimonies of a civilization which reached a high level development in America. These stones come from a remote past which brings us the message of paleolithic men, who are also part of our roots. These stones were diseminated in hidden places of the Calchaquí Valleys, and today the Menhires Park allows us to admire their quiet and magnificent eternity. Their shapes are synthetic, its contents symbolic. Nowadays they stand as one of the most excellent chapters of indigenous sculpture in Argentina, that would be the significant and original expression of indigenous art in Tucuman. It is believed that outer space civilizations have visited and influenced the indian culture and that the long stones were used to worship their gods who could possibly be extra-terrestrial visitors.
JESUISTIC MISSION OF SAN JOSE DE LULES
San Jose de Lules Ruins, declared National Historic Monument are witness of the time corresponding to the Spanish conquest, having its building been the seat of the Jesus Company, where the Jesuit fathers performed beside their religious activities, others of educational and work character, mainly with the Lules indians.
There the most trascendent work in this last aspect was the creation of the Tucuman sugar industry. Also iron works, sawmills, carpentry and even indegeneous sculpture were made.
Finally that historic mission was suspended in 1777 when the Jesuits were expelled from the American continent.
VILLA NOUGES AND SAN JAVIER
They are on the slopes of San Javier hill, at more than 1000 mts height, from where the city can be seen. Its mild climate the beauty of its landscapes and the architectonic characteristics of their urbanization, draw all visitors attention.
RACO
Following Route 341 Raco is reached, a residential zone developed among soft hills, near the El Siambón Benedictine Convent.
EL CADILLAL
It is a tourist centre of great importance, with a basic infraestructure for excursions and nautical activities. Its Archeological Museum has valuable pieces of La Candelaria Culture. At its entrance there is a tourist villa near the main centre which allows one of the best views of the mirror of the water formed by Dr. Celestino Gelsi Dike. Skirting the Medici hill river Salí continues flowing, being one of the courses that feed the above mentioned dike. On its left bank there are rooms, river resorts and autocampings attended all the year round.
HOUSE OF TUCUMAN
The most serious example of what the colonial architecture was, is the ancient house of Mrs. Francisca Bazán de Laguna, with its adobes, beams and roof tiles, which were witnesses of the greatest historic event in our country: 1816 Congress.
Enjoy light and sound spectacle, which recreates the emotions and experiences of that glorius July 9th, 1816, through a modern and sophisticated audiovisual system.
