COCHINOCA

When the Spanish conquerors arrived in this area, they found indigenous peoples like the Casabindos and Cochinocas, but they also found immense and rich mineral deposits and for this reason Cochinoca soon became a very important settlement in the whole of the Argentinean Puna highlands.

Many years later, during the second decade of the XVIII century, the Cochinoca curate was created, bordering Humahuaca approximately at Tres Cruces, but a new road bypassing it, made it lose its position as the most important Departmental town to Abra Pampa, the railroad which went further east. Its diminishing importance as a mining centre led to the fact that in 1915 its population dropped to only 45 inhabitants.

However, the decline of its population and importance has not changed the beauty of its abrupt landscape, nor made it lose its graceful bearing. Its nice to look out towards the tree covered small valley that harbours it. At its centre you can see the colonial chapel of Santa Bárbara.

This small building, dating from the XIX century, has a masonry altarpiece with three niches ingeniously decorated with images done in popular art style. The chapel is under the protection of the Saint Barbara, protector against thunderstorms and rays, which is a clear indication of the vicissitudes of the local weather.

In the lower part of the town one can find the "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" Church, a building dating back to the XVII century. Beneath the portraits of Juan José Campero and his wife Juana Clemencia de Obando, there is a long inscription describing how they commissioned the building of the church and its altarpiece built in the years 1682 and 1693.

Of the original building only the tower remains, which remnants you can see on the right hand side. The present church was built between 1860 and 1890, on top of what was left of the old church. The major pieces that you can find within its long nave are the many paintings and pictures of the Crucifixion at the altarpiece and the two statues of the Virgin attributed to the art of Mateo Pizarro.

It is located 246 km from San Salvador de Jujuy and today holds 3,725 inhabitants.

LAGUNA DE GUAYATAYOC LAKE
It is to be found in the southern part of the Department of Cochinoca, almost bordering the Salinas Grandes salt flats.

During the months of March and April, when the rains are very heavy, it reaches its maximum extension of approximately 240 square km and a depth of 6 m. There is no information available regarding the flora and fauna of the place, but several species of flamingos can be found.