Tinogasta in Catamarca

CATAMARCA is 1.150 kms from Buenos Aires. The city of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca is a colonial capital (Government House, Basilica Nuestra Señora del Valle, the church and convent of San Francisco). In Andalgalá there is an archeological Museum. The Pucará del Aconquija are the ruins of a native fort with enormous "pircas", dry stone walls, and the remains of numerous dwellings. Adventure tourism, hunting and fishing. Thermal waters in Tinogasta and Fiambalá. Tinogasta is surrounded by vineyards, altiplanos and high mountains. The adobe walls church of Fiambalá houses a collection of paintings of the Cuzqueño school. The rodocrosita or "Rose of the Inca" the national gem of Argentina, is mined form the old site called Capillitas (Andalgalá). La Alumbrera (Belén) is Argentina´s most important mine of gold, silver and copper.