Pedestrian circuit for Piaget Students

TOURIST INFORMATION

Salta city
Salta is a province situated in the north of Argentina. It borders six provinces and three countries. Its capital city has the same name: Salta. It has a strong Hispanic imprint. It is probably the city which has the strongest colonial atmosphere in Argentina. It is famous for its old, Spanish-style colonial architecture. It is surrounded by magnificent scenery and it can be said that it is one of Argentina's most beautiful cities. The city is located on the Lerma Valley, 1.152 meters above sea level. The weather is subtropical with dry season. The city was founded on April 16th 1582 by Hernando de Lerma who intended the city to be an outpost between Lima (Peru) and Buenos Aires so as to avoid calchaqui Indian attacks.

San Francisco Church

It is situated on the corner of Caseros and Córdoba street, a block in East direction from the main square. The temple we see now dates from 1870. The first temple was built in 1625. Since the construction was not very strong, a second temple was built in 1674 which was destroyed by a fire in the middle of the XVII century. The last construction began under the direction of Friar Vicente Muñoz but it was finished by Friar Luis Giorgi who modified the front giving it a higher tower, the highest in South America with 53 metres.
The temple has a library and a museum where valuable works of art and writing are kept. The bells in this temple were made with the brass of the canyons used in the Battle of Salta. The church was declared national historical monument in 1941 and minor basilica in 2001.

The Cabildo
The cabildo is on Caseros Street opposite 9 de Julio square. It was built at the foundation of the city in 1582 but the building we see today dates from the year 1783.
The building itself is a real architectural jewel from the colonial period, with simple lines typical of the viceroyalty. It is the best conserved cabildo in Argentina. There is an important museum in the Cabildo; it is the historical museum of the North. This museum keeps real treasures of the native culture from colonial times. It was declared national historical monument in 1941.

San Bernardo Convent
It is located on the corner of Caseros and Santa Fe 5 blocks East direction from the main square. This convent is the oldest religious construction in Salta. At the beginning it was the chapel of San Bernardo then it was a hospital called San Andrés. Since last century it is the monastery of the Carmelites. Its principal attraction is the door at the main entrance. It was carved in wood by native people in 1762. It is said that this door was a donation from the Cámara family whose daughter had decided to become a nun. It is considered a masterpiece of colonial art. This convent was declared national historical monument in 1941

Cathedral
It is on España street in front of 9 de Julio square. This magnificent temple was built in 1858, and it replaced the old Cathedral damaged by a fire. Its architectural style is eclectic although there are signs of classical Italian style in the façade. It has two aisles and a central nave. This church has exuberant ornamentation.
The images preserved in the cathedral are “el señor y la virgen del milagro”. They are the patrons of the city since 1692. The altar, designed in gold, is the late baroque work of the Franciscan architect Luis Giorgi. In the temple we can find the pantheon of the glory of the North which contains the tombs of many heroes from the War of Independence and some important men and women for the history of Salta such as Martín Miguel de Güemes, Rudecindo Alvarado, Facundo de Zuviría, Martina Silva de Gurruchaga, Juan Antonio Alvarez de Arenales and recently the writer Juana Manuela Gorriti among others. The Cathedral was declared national historical monument in 1947.

Candelaria Church
It is located on the corner of Alberdi and San Juan street. The original temple from 1853 collapsed being rebuilt twenty years later. During the civil war of 1884 it served as a refuge and as an improvised hospital during the cholera epidemic in 1888. The virgin who presides over the altar was brought from a farm property of La Viña in Campo Santo. The tower of this church is separated from the main body of the church. It was projected and designed by the architect Francisco Righetti. The temple has paintings of the Cuzco school.

Güemes monument
This monument is at the foot of San Bernardo hill. It is a beautiful monument which was worked in stone of the same hill. It culminates with the hero’s equestrian figure. This monument was projected and executed by the sculptor Victor Gariño. The sculptural group and the bas – reliefs that ornament the sides of stone were made in the Arsenal of war of the army. The monument was inaugurated in 1931.

20 de Febrero monument
It is in the north sector of the city. It is on Sarmiento Avenue. It has the name of the day in which the battle of salta was held. The monument was projected by Torcuato Tasso. The basement of the main part of the monument was made in the arsenal of war of the army. This basement culminates in a magnificent bronze which symbolizes the victory in the Battle of Salta.

9 DE JULIO SQUARE
The square is framed by Zuviría, Caseros, Mitre and España streets and concentrates around it some of the most significant and historical buildings of the city. It is also the only square in the country which is surrounded by cafés and restaurants. In its centre there is a monument to the memory of the General José Antonio Alvarez de Arenales, who was one of the leaders of the war of independence. There are fourteen muses around the monument which represent the number of provinces at the time of the war of independence. In its west side there is a bronze water fountain which was brought from France.

BALCARCE STREET
Balcarce Street (or La Balcarce) is a popular street in Salta. It crosses the downtown of the city, from Belgrano Avenue to the former Salta railway station. Since discos and folk pubs are situated in La Balcarce, it is a common place of entertainment for tourists and young people. The five-star hotel Alejandro I is situated on this street.