Cachi
Encyclopedia
Cachi is a small city in Salta Province
Argentina. It is the capital of the Cachi Department.
n and means salt since "the snow of this hill reminds of the color of salt," it is more likely that the name is of Cacán etymology : kak (stone) - chi (silence): silent stone.
Calchaquí Valleys
, at the foot of the Nevado de Cachi that flanks it from the west. The Cafayate
, La Poma
, Tolombón
, Santa María
, etc.) and places of interest like the Salar de Pipanaco
The population is found surrounded by imposing snow-covered mountains reaching as much as 5,000 meters. The temperature is usually mild and the skies are almost always clear, making the region ideal for mountain climbing. The architecture of the small city is principally of colonial Spanish style with adobe
homes painted white and built over bases of rock, sporting antique window grills forged of iron. In the Central Plaza is the Church of Chachi, a recognized National Historical Monument, built in the sixteenth century with an exterior from the nineteenth century. Its beams, alters and confession booths are all carved from the porous wood of the cactus Echinopsis atacamensis. The front of the plaza is the main entrance to the Pío Pablo Díaz Archaeological Museum. This museum contains more than 5,000 pieces covering a time period of 10,000 years with a majority covering the time period between 800 BC and 1600 AD. Ancient pictographs figure prominently in the museum, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable about them---and comparative pictrographs around the world. 10 kilometers to the south-southwest of Cachi lies the important ruins of Puerta de La Paya.
Cachi has the world's highest vineyard, Bodegas Coloméhttp://www.bodegacolome.com/english/mask.htm.
Salta Province
Salta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
Argentina. It is the capital of the Cachi Department.
Etymology
Although it is often stated that the name is derived from QuechuaQuechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
n and means salt since "the snow of this hill reminds of the color of salt," it is more likely that the name is of Cacán etymology : kak (stone) - chi (silence): silent stone.
Location
Cachi is found in the northern sector of theCalchaquí Valleys
Calchaquí Valleys
The Calchaquí Valley is an area in the northwestern region of Argentina which crosses the provinces of Catamarca, Tucumán and Salta. It is best known for its contrast of colours and its unique geography that ranges from the mountain desert to the subtropical forest.There are a number of valleys...
, at the foot of the Nevado de Cachi that flanks it from the west. The Cafayate
Cafayate
-External links: *...
, La Poma
La Poma
La Poma is a village and rural municipality in Salta Province in northwestern Argentina.-References:...
, Tolombón
Tolombón
Tolombón is a village and rural municipality in Salta Province in northwestern Argentina....
, Santa María
Santa María, Catamarca
Santa María is a city in the province of Catamarca, Argentina. It has about 16,000 inhabitants per the , and is the head town of the department of the same name....
, etc.) and places of interest like the Salar de Pipanaco
Population
The dynamic demographics are important: in 2001, 5254 people were counted, a 17.62% increase over the last census in 1991. Two factors have contributed to the increase: the high birth rate and the movement of people from Salta, Tucumán and Buenos Aires to the region.Tourism
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
homes painted white and built over bases of rock, sporting antique window grills forged of iron. In the Central Plaza is the Church of Chachi, a recognized National Historical Monument, built in the sixteenth century with an exterior from the nineteenth century. Its beams, alters and confession booths are all carved from the porous wood of the cactus Echinopsis atacamensis. The front of the plaza is the main entrance to the Pío Pablo Díaz Archaeological Museum. This museum contains more than 5,000 pieces covering a time period of 10,000 years with a majority covering the time period between 800 BC and 1600 AD. Ancient pictographs figure prominently in the museum, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable about them---and comparative pictrographs around the world. 10 kilometers to the south-southwest of Cachi lies the important ruins of Puerta de La Paya.
Cachi has the world's highest vineyard, Bodegas Coloméhttp://www.bodegacolome.com/english/mask.htm.