Cerrillos brings cultural and sporting themes together: a historic memorial site, a church with images from its predecessor building, religious customs and various forms of cycling. These highlights can help you choose the purpose of your trip. If you want to plan your stay around a festival or competition, check the dates before you travel.
History and cultural traces
The Plazoleta “Pacto De Los Cerrillos” commemorates a historic event in 1816 involving Generals Güemes and Rondeau. The square gives the town’s history a tangible point of reference.
The Parroquia San José is a postmodern-style replacement building dating from the 1980s. At the same time, it preserves images from the former church, which had collapsed. The new building and the memory of its predecessor are thus both part of the history of the same church site.
Cerrillos’ transport history is also in evidence: the “Manuel J. Castilla” railway station was an important rail hub served by the Ramal C13. The line is not currently in use. The poets Marcos Tames and Manuel J. Castilla are also associated with San José de los Cerrillos.
Religious festivals and local customs
The Fiesta Patronal begins with a procession on March 19. It also includes a torchlight procession, during which the image of the patron saint is carried to the summit of Cerro San José. The feast day and procession give this custom a clearly defined place in the calendar.
On DĂa de Todos los Santos y Fieles Difuntos, families set up an offering table at the local cemetery in Cerrillos and bring photographs of deceased relatives. If you would like to experience this custom, plan your trip around the corresponding days of remembrance.
Another religious sight is the grotto on nearby Cerro San José, which houses the image of the saint. The hill can be reached on foot or on horseback. If you plan to visit, check current conditions before setting out.
Cycling in Cerrillos
A cycling event is held every year in Cerrillos, and includes the Pre DesafĂo a los Cerrillos (PREDALC). More than 250 cyclists from across the country took part on the INTA grounds in the seventh edition of the DesafĂo de los Cerrillos mountain bike competition. The town’s cycling history therefore includes both a recurring event and a specific completed edition of a competition.
Another example took place in June 2026 at Corona Bike Park: a Dirt Jump and Pumptrack competition organized by Corona Bike Crew and supported by the municipal government. The disciplines named distinguish this event from the mountain bike competition on the INTA grounds. If a competition is the deciding factor in your trip, check the relevant date in advance.
Culture in Cerrillos Department
In Cerrillos Department, the Cristo de Sumalao is kept at the Santuario del Cristo de Sumalao. It is an oil painting from the 16th century. Historically, celebrations in honor of the image lasted for seven Fridays from Easter onward. The novena began on the last Friday, and the main celebration, featuring a procession with the image, took place the following Sunday.
These celebrations also included a traditional market with numerous stalls run by local merchants. Typical and regional products were sold there.
La Merced is also in Cerrillos Department: every year on September 24, a festival in honor of the Virgen de la Merced is celebrated there with a large procession and a gaucho parade. Regional customs are thus tied to their own places and festival days.
For the broader travel overview: Cerrillos Department.
