Adobe bricks, cardón wood and leather straps give the Capilla de Nuestra Señora de Belén in Susques a tangible architectural focal point. The town also has local crafts, an annual patron-saint festival and an astronomy center near the town, whose project was intended to bring together astrotourism and science. Two roads are relevant for getting there: Susques is on National Route 40; from Purmamarca, the best route is via paved National Route 52.
The Capilla de Nuestra Señora de Belén
The chapel is usually dated to 1598. This traditional dating should be distinguished from later documentary evidence. The Capilla was declared a National Historic Monument in 1943. The two years therefore refer to different things: one is the chapel’s usual date, while the other marks its designation as a historic monument.
The Capilla is built entirely of adobe bricks. Its roof structure is made of cardĂłn wood and joined with leather straps. To understand the construction, it is useful to consider both components: the adobe bricks shape the building, while the cardĂłn wood and leather straps describe the roof structure. The annual festival calendar is also closely linked to the chapel: the patron-saint festival takes place every year on January 23. If you would like to plan your trip around this occasion, the date provides a fixed annual reference point.
Crafts and Astronomy
In Susques, traditional ponchos are woven on handlooms. Crafts are also made from stone and ceramics. These are distinct areas of craftsmanship: ponchos are all about weaving, while the other works focus on stone and ceramic materials. Together with the chapel, they offer different perspectives on the town’s culture and crafts. You can use these distinctions to plan your interests: the architecture and patron-saint festival are linked to the church, while weaving and works made from stone and ceramics highlight local crafts.
The Centro de ObservaciĂłn AstronĂłmica de Susques offers a different kind of point of interest. It is 1.5 kilometers from the town. The center was intended to introduce locals and tourists to astrotourism and was planned as a link between tourism and science. If you are considering a visit, check in advance which programs are currently taking place and how access is arranged.
Getting There via the National Routes
Susques is on National Route 40. From Purmamarca, the best route is via paved National Route 52, which also connects the town with the Chilean border. These details answer different questions about getting around: National Route 40 describes Susques’s location, while National Route 52 is the route mentioned for traveling from Purmamarca and the connection to the border. As road conditions can change seasonally, check them locally before setting out.
In the Department of Susques
Beyond the town itself, the Department of Susques provides a broader geographic context. The Salar de Olaroz lies in the Department of Susques at 4,500 meters above sea level. The Reserva Provincial Altoandina de la Chinchilla is a provincial protected area as well as an AICA and Ramsar site; it extends across the departments of Susques and Rinconada. Its elevation, protected status and geographic extent each provide a different regional point of reference.
The Reserva Provincial de Flora y Fauna Olaroz-Cauchari is also in the Department of Susques. Established in 1981, it protects the biodiversity of the High Andes, adapted to harsh climatic conditions, across more than 200,000 hectares at an elevation of over 4,000 meters. The regional protected areas therefore belong to a different geographic level than the Capilla and the crafts in town. To orient yourself, it helps to distinguish between Susques’s cultural history and the landscapes and nature conservation of the department.
For an overview of the wider trip: Department of Susques.
