Tilcara

Long before the arrival of the Incas, the Quebrada de Humahuaca and consequently Tilcara were inhabited by numerous indigenous groups. The Omaguacas (or Humahuacas) built the Pucará (fortress) of Tilcara on a hill with excellent views of the Río Grande de Jujuy below.

As well as serving as a defensive site, this pucará would have been used for religious worship. There are dwellings, a necropolis and a religious and sacrificial centre. The site is thought to date from around AD 1000 to 1100.

The site is interesting, but somewhat controversial, as the restoration techniques used on the various buildings do not correspond to those used at the time the pucará was built.

Made from cactus wood.

Memorial to the archaeologists who worked on the site.

Tilcara's village was founded in the valley near the Río Grande de Jujuy. Today, there are streets and houses in the hills above the village.

As soon as you start to climb the surrounding mountains, the views are magnificent.