To the north of La Rioja, in the Sierras de Velasco, there is a Archaeological site which offers a tour of the ruins of a city built more than a thousand years ago by the original cultures of the region. It’s about Pucará de Hualcowhich was declared a cultural and natural reserve in 2004 to preserve its historical legacy and its surroundings.
It is a site between the Velasco mountains very close to the Hualco River. To the north of La Rioja, and can also be accessed by the town of Chilecito. Through paths and guided tours, visitors can travel their stone constructions, explore a museum with archaeological pieces and discover the petroglyph recorded in the rocks by the former settlers.
Where is Pucará de Hualco
The Pucará de Hualco site is located in the department of San Blas de los Sauces, about 5 km from the town of Schaqui. Its access is simple from the city of La Rioja or from Chilecito, with routes that cross an arid landscape characteristic of the region.
In order to arrive, it is necessary to cross the Andoluas campsite, where a paved road leads to the entrance.
Activities in Pucará de Hualco
The main attraction of the place is the tour of the archaeological site, which allows you to know much more about the ancient civilizations that inhabited the region. Remains of the Ciénaga, Aguada, Belén and Sanagasta cultures have been identified, which left their mark on architecture and the pieces found in the place.
At admission, a museum built with adobe and stone exhibits ceramics, tools and funeral urns dating from different periods. Among the most outstanding pieces are a pot with mazamorra remains, vessels decorated with pre -Hispanic symbols and a small Malachite say, known as El Hualquito, which would have belonged to a shaman.
The route includes marked paths that lead to the old stone enclosures, where you can see the remains of housing, mortars used for the grinding of grains and areas of worship to the Pachamama. In addition, those who wish to explore the site more can perform a trekking to the petroglyphs, where animal figures, the sun, the moon and scenes of the daily life of the original peoples were recorded.
How to get to Pucará de Hualco
From La Rioja Capital you can arrive by car and the trip is 180 kilometers. While from Chilecito the road is shorter and the route offers mountain landscapes with more natural accidents.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
