PURMAMARCA

Sited 65 km from San Salvador de Jujuy, down Nº 9 National Route, and a small take off on Nº 52 National Route, you will find the Town of the Virgin Lands, "Pueblo de la Tierra Virgen", which is the literal translation of the Aymara mountain indian language word Purmamarca, a beautiful town cradled to the north by the Purmamarca River, and to the south by the mountains bordering the ravine by the same name.

This small town of 339 people is very attractive due to the magnificent and majestic colourful mountains that surround it. Its buildings are from the XVII century, which gives an interesting vision of its pre Hispanic origin.

The picturesque layout of its streets is centred on the main church, built in 1648. As in other towns in the region, the houses in Purmamarca are of adobe, earth, clay and straw mixed, a technology passed down through the generations, coming down from the original abodes of these peoples whose lifestyle and customs still permeate these areas. Any layout considered to be modern is from the end of the XIX century.

In Purmamarca you will find, side by side with ancient communal celebrations, such as the cult to Mother Earth, Pachamama, the way to make a payment to the mountain spirits or the Apus through the custom of leaving a stone on a mound at the mountain passes called Apachetas, many Christian customs such as the Children's Mass, the Christmas and Easter pageants and many others where the two converge in a syncretism.

Thus one can still see how the indigenous Apachetas are kept up and added to, with colonial churches just around the corner all over the area. There is really nothing contradictory in it: people pray in the church but say hello to the mountain leaving a stone in the mound at the top. The playing of music is also very important in the area. On every possible occasion you will see the local instruments are brought out and play, such as the so-called sikuris, quena, caja, erque, erquencho and charango.

Purmamarca is a place ideal for excursions as it is found within the area of influence of a hub or distribution centre such as San Salvador de Jujuy. Here you will find restaurants, eating places, accommodation and a centre for handicrafts.