Calimonte is one of the scattered hamlets on the valley floor near the Río Santa María. The local history includes the territorial claims of the Amaichas and the historical incorporation of the area into a municipality. Nearby are the Ciudad Sagrada de Quilmes and attractions exploring the history and culture of the Quilmes people.
Local History and Connections to Amaicha
The registration of the Royal Deed in 1892 led to recognition of the Amaichas’ territorial land claims in the Calchaquí Valley; these lands included Calimonte. Another historical connection concerns land in Calimonte that Nicolás Aramburu had occupied and that the Amaichas claimed as their property.
Calimonte was described, together with Tío Punco, Encalilla, El Bañado, and Quilmes, as part of a municipality that had been granted to the descendants of Amaicha chief Francisco Chapurfe. The Calimonte sound recording collection also includes a recording of the Gato genre, catalogued in 1941. This recording and the historical connections to the history of the land offer different insights into the area.
Ciudad Sagrada de Quilmes and Interpretation Center
Near Calimonte is the Ciudad Sagrada de Quilmes, also known as the Ruinas de Quilmes and formerly called Fuerte Viejo. It consists of the remains of a pre-Hispanic settlement that has been inhabited since around the 10th century AD. Visitors can take trails to the northern or southern Atalaya.
The Centro de Interpretación de Quilmes is located in Calimonte and was inaugurated on February 2, 2018, in the Quilmes complex. Alongside the archaeological site, it enhances the visit with four themed rooms. Visual, auditory, and tactile media introduce visitors to the origins, daily life, customs, and displacement of the Quilmes people. There is also a micro-cinema showing a short documentary about the history of the Quilmes and the present-day Comunidad India Quilmes.
More Experiences Nearby
In nearby El Bañado, Estancia Río de Arena offers guided tours of its winery, with wine tastings and artisanal cheeses. Activities there also include nighttime astronomical observations using computer-controlled telescopes and an introduction to observational astronomy. These experiences complement the archaeological and historical themes with wine, cheese, and a view of the night sky.
Regional Context in the Departamento Tafí Del Valle
The lands of the Indigenous community of Amaicha del Valle are in the Valles Calchaquíes, in the Departamento Tafí Del Valle in the province of Tucumán. The Ciudad Sagrada de Quilmes is also part of this regional context: it was restored in the 1970s. Visitors can see reconstructed residential areas, agricultural terraces, a fortress on the hilltop, and lateral defensive structures.
The Museo Arqueológico a Cielo Abierto Los Menhires in El Mollar, in the Departamento Tafí Del Valle, displays around 124 carved, elongated stones. They are up to three meters tall and more than 2,000 years old. The region’s natural and cultural heritage also includes Parque Provincial Los Ñuñorcos and Reserva Natural Quebrada del Portugués. The hills Ñuñorco Grande and Ñuñorco Chico were part of the ancient Inca road; archaeological sites are located there. Reserva Quebrada del Portugués was established in 1996 to preserve the area’s natural and cultural heritage.
Discover more destinations: Amaichá Del Valle.
View the broader travel guide: Departamento Tafí Del Valle.
