ATTRACTIONS

History in the desert. Lonely walks. Lakes, geysers and sand... tons of it, in your wanderings through San Pedro de Atacama, Chile's "Archaeological Capital", where the first sedentary population in the country settled, and men were able to make a parched and arid land bear fruit; plus visits and excursions through desolated and baking-hot landscapes.

The following visits are recommended in San Pedro de Atacama:

Padre Le Paige Archaeological Museum, its 450,000 archaeological items and its more than 100 ethnographic exhibits show the development of the Atacama culture over its 11,000 years of history. Fabrics, engraved plaques, ceramics, mummies and golden statuettes form part of this collection which was started in 1995, when the Belgian padre Gustavo Le Paige S.J., took over the parish of San Pedro.
Visiting hours: Monday through Friday from 9 to 12 a.m. and from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 to 12 a.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.
Address: Gustavo Le Paige s/n.

Church of San Pedro, declared a National Monument in 1951, it is considered to be one of the largest and most beautiful in the region. It was built in 1745, of stone and adobe. It has a rectangular ground plan and has a group of religious artworks inside, presided over by the figure of San Pedro, the patron saint of the town.

CULTURAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL

Pukara de Quitor
This fortress was constsructed in the 12th century for strategic reasons on a steeply-sided mountain. It was built before the Incas arrival in Atacama, and covers an area of 2 ½ hectares. There is a semi-circular building similar to a tower within its enormous outer walls built of clay-cemented stones,. In 1540, it was taken by the conqueror Francisco de Aguirre, who at the head of 30 Spaniards forced the surrender of the natives. It is positioned 3 kilometers northwest of San Pedro de Atacama, and has been declared a national Monument in 1982.

Catarpe Inca Administration Center, this consists of some of pircas, square stone patios, resting on a flat hilltop. It is to the north of San Pedro de Atacama.

Tulor village, this is the oldest inhabited remain in the area, and was used between 800 BC and 500 AD. Huge sand drifts buried the buildings, enabling good conservation, although up to now only ten percent has been exposed. The site consists of 22 circular adobe buildings that are surrounded by a intricate system of walls. It is thought to have sheltered 200 people.
A few meters away there is a site museum with replicas of the living accommodations and shows the techniques used for building the pre-Hispanic village, 10 kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama.

Socaire town
(3,500 meters above sea level) This is an ancient pre-Hispanic town, with good-looking stone houses and a simple church with one tower made of the same material. In the past it was significant due to its strategic location on the road that links Antofagasta and La Sierra. It also had its own gold mine.
Now its population is around 300 residents. It is famed for manufacturing textiles with wool from sheep and Andean camelids, using very old weaving skills. It is sited 86 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama.

Toconao
Is a typical village built in volcanic stone. The church of San Lucas, declared a National Monument in 1951, and its belfry are worth visiting. The temple, built in 1744, is a good sample of the Atacama style in architecture.
The 600 inhabitants do craftwork in volcanic stone and grow fruit. The town is 38 kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama.