Quebrada de Humahuaca

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Quebrada de Humahuaca


State Party = ARG
Type = Cultural
Criteria = ii, iv, v
ID = 1116
Region = Latin America and the Caribbean
Year = 2003
Session = 27th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1116

The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a narrow mountain valley located in the province of Jujuy in northwest Argentina, about 1,500 km from Buenos Aires (coord|23|11|59|S|65|20|56|W|). It is about 155 kilometres long, oriented north-south, bordered by the Altiplano in the west and north, by the Sub-Andean hills in the east, and by the warm valleys ("Valles Templados") in the south.

The name "quebrada" (literally "broken") translates as a deep valley or ravine. It receives its name from Humahuaca, a small city of 11,000 inhabitants. The Grande River ("Río Grande"), which is dry in winter, flows copiously through the Quebrada in the summer.

The region has always been a crossroads for economic, social and cultural communication. It has been populated for 10,000 years, since the settlement of the first hunter-gatherers, which is evidenced by substantial prehistoric remains. It was a caravan road for the Inca Empire in the 15th century, then an important link between the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata and the Viceroyalty of Peru, as well as a stage for many battles of the Argentine War of Independence.

The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2 July 2003.

ources

* [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1116 UNESCO World Heritage Centre] - Description of the site.
* [http://www.jujuy.gov.ar/quebrada/principal.htm Jujuy Province] - Official website (in Spanish).
* [http://www.travelsur.net/forum/messages/2/97.html Travelsur] - Argentina Travel Advice forum (some comments translated from the official website).
* [http://argentina.gotolatin.com/spa/Attr/htm/Argentina-Humahuaca.asp GotoLatin.com] - Argentina - Destinos (in Spanish).
*
* [http://www.hernan.ameijeiras.com/quebrada-de-humahuaca.html Pictures from Humahuaca]
* [http://www.en.norteexperience.com.ar/ North of Argentina Tourist info]
* [http://www.turbosite.com.ar/quebradahumahuaca/eng1.htm Quebrada de Humahuaca pictures]