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| San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca | ||
| province | Catamarca | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 159.139 (2010) | |
| height | 500 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca is the capital of Catamarca Province in the north-west Argentina. It lies in a wide valley between two chains of the Sierras Pampeanas and has around 250,000 inhabitants in its metropolitan area.
The lively, fast-growing city, which is also a well-known place of pilgrimage, is considered a stronghold of Catholicism and has several colonial buildings, but modernity does not stop at it either. The diverse excursion options in the surrounding area are also attractive for travelers.
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The city was founded in 1683 and dissolved soon afterwards Londres as the administrative center of the region, but remained a relatively insignificant small town for a long time. Even with the connection to the railway network in 1888, this initially remained that way. Only in the last three decades of the 20th century did the city flourish, quadrupling its population.
The city is important as a place of pilgrimage because an old statue of the Virgin Mary was allegedly found in a mountain valley about 10 km west of the center in the 17th century Virgen del Valle. The figure is now in the Cathedral of Catamarca.
getting there
By plane
Of Buenos Aires and La Rioja from there are flight connections. The airport Coronel Felipe Varela is 15 km southeast of the city.
By train
The passenger train service is currently not in operation.
By bus
The city can be reached by bus from almost all of Argentina. There are only few connections to Patagonia and Northeast Argentina, here you often have to go to Cordoba change.
The Bus station is located on Avenida Güemes 850, about 500 meters from Plaza 25 de Mayo.
In the street
The RN 38 connects the city with San Miguel de Tucuman, La Rioja and Cordoba. In the latter, however, the connection is via the RP 33 and RN 60 as RN 9 significantly shorter, which is also the best route from Buenos Aires.
mobility
As almost everywhere in Argentina, public transport is handled by city buses. Who after El Rodeo (see below) you have to take the bus at the plaza, this bus does not stop at the bus station. He drives several times a day.
Tourist Attractions
Churches, mosques, synagogues, temples
- Cathedral "Virgen del Valle", Sarmiento 653, in Plaza 25 de Mayo. Charming neo-baroque church. Built in 1859 by the Milanese architect Luis Nievas. Inside you will be the Virgen del Valle preserved, a figure of Mary venerated by many Catholics.
- Iglesia de San Francisco, Esquiú between Sarmiento and Rivadavia. Also neo-baroque and unusually ornate for a church in the colonial style.
Buildings
- Colegio de Nuestra Senora del Huerto. Colonial school, inaugurated in 1809. The facade, however, dates from 1876.
Museums
- Museo Arqueológico Adán Quiroga, Sarmiento 450. Numerous artefacts from the region's indigenous people, some from pre-Christian times, are kept here.
- Archivo y Museo Histórico Provincial, Chacabuco 550. History museum.
- Museo Folklórico Juan Cristóbal Carrizo. Museum with objects of folklore and popular culture of the region.
- Museo de Bellas Artes Laureano Brizualea, Sarmiento about 450. Largest art gallery in the province.
- Museo del Deporte Oscar Díaz, Av. Virgen del Valle approx. 700. One of the few museums in Argentina dedicated to sport.
Streets and squares
- Paseo General Navarro. Place with pavilion.
- El Calvario. Way of the Cross, 2.5 km outside.
Parks
- Adán Quiroga Park, at the riverbank. Largest park in the city.
activities
shop
The pedestrian zone Rivadavia is Catamarca's most popular shopping street. There is also a small shopping center in the bus station.
The city is known for its carpets. These are in the Fábrica de Alfombras (Av.Virgen del Valle 570, 500 m southwest of Plaza 25 de Mayo). Next to it you can find that in the same block Manzana Turística called a craft market.
kitchen
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Upscale
nightlife
accommodation
Cheap
medium
Upscale
Learn
Work
security
health
Practical advice
The area code is 03833, the area code K4700. Internet (DSL) and GSM mobile phone network are available.
trips
- El Rodeo. 30 km to the west, a small holiday resort, very attractive in a narrow valley basin. In summer it can get very crowded, in the rest of the year pure peace is the order of the day.
literature
Web links
- http://www.sfvcatamarca.gov.ar/ - Official website of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca
