SANTA CATALINA

Located 67 km west of La Quiaca, on an elevated plateau with mountain ranges around and some lower hills in the centre, the tireless traveller will find a colourful town with a tradition of mining where the old gold veins and the possibility of panning for gold sand in the river still lures the temptation of visitors.

Santa Catalina is one of the many mining settlements in the Puna highlands of Jujuy, which owe its origin to the XVII century and which reached a position of importance because of its mineral wealth. In 1756 it became an independent curate under Cochinoca, incorporating the chapels of Rinconada and Talna.

As to other towns in the highlands, the first half of the XIX century was disastrous. However, in 1859, a bishop described it as having a large and comfortable church with three however old altars.

In its heyday, the gold mining made Santa Catalina an important commercial centre. We even have the testimony of a member of the "Geographic Institute of Córdoba", who wrote that in this remote town there were always businessmen and one could buy the most exquisite German beer.

Its streets are paved in stone and its old church dates back to the XVII century and is located facing the main square, side by side with the old mansion of the Saravia family, with which it makes up an architectural complex of someinterest.

The tower, like a three tiered telescope is as wide as the church itself, and is built above the front door. The atrium, on the other hand, is placed within the tower itself, followed by a 30 m long nave, in which old altars have been replaced by new ones.

The climate in Santa Catalina is cold and dry with occasional rainfall during the summer. There is hardly any variety of flora and fauna. In the High Altitude Botanical Garden,"The Regional botanical park," you will find some specimens from the highlands.

The locals breed llamas, sheep and goats while cultivating peaches, apples and plums. The close by river is a good one to go angling for trouts.

It is important that the traveller remember that there are no restaurants or hotels in Santa Catalina with the exception of the Municipal Shelter, which offers the bare minimum of comfort.