Los Antiguos
| Basic data | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| location | 46 ° 33 ′ S , 71 ° 38 ′ W | ||
| Height above d. M .: | 6 m | ||
| Population (2001): | 2047 | ||
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| administration | |||
| Province : |
 Santa Cruz
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| Department : | Lake Buenos Aires | ||
| Mayor: | Oscár Sandoval, PJ | ||
| Others | |||
| Postal code : | 02963 | ||
| Telephone code: | 02963 | ||
| Los Antiguos website | |||
Los Antiguos is a small town with around 2,000 inhabitants (2001, INDEC ) in Patagonia in Argentina . It is located in the department of Lago Buenos Aires in the province of Santa Cruz on the south bank of the 1,850 km² Argentine - Chilean border lake Lago Buenos Aires (in Chile: Lago General Carrera), the second largest lake in the Andes after Lake Titicaca. Los Antiguos is a border town; Chile Chico is opposite on the Chilean side. Los Antiguos is located on the right bank of the river of the same name, which flows into Lake Buenos Aires here.
The landscape is shaped by the eastern foothills of the Andes . To the south of the village, the Piedras Sueltas (2,235 m, the river mentioned above) and the Cerro Zeballos (2,748 m) rise above all. The valley in which Los Antiguos is located has a mild microclimate for Patagonia, so cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and apples can be grown here. Since mainly cherry trees dominate, Los Antiguos is considered the capital of the Argentine cherry cultivation. The numerous irrigation ditches contribute to the beautiful appearance of the place and the surrounding area. In view of the snowfall in winter (especially between April and August), the houses have an “alpine” character, especially since conifers are often to be found.
The place has also developed into a tourist center due to its location. In addition to skiing, extensive hikes, fishing and boat trips are also possible here. Archaeological sites are also nearby, as is a gold mine. The name of the place (in German: "the old") indicates an Indian origin; the Patagonians called the area i-keuk-kenk , which means “my ancestors” and was adopted accordingly by the Spanish-speaking settlers. However, it was not until around 1900 that Argentines settled here permanently. In addition to the Patagonian Indians, immigrants, often with Central and Eastern European ancestors, settled here. Los Antiguos received city rights in 1970. While the 20th century brought a continuous upswing in the area, a crisis occurred with the eruption of the 2,600 meter high Cerro Hudson volcano (on the Chilean side, around 100 kilometers northwest of Los Antiguos) in 1991 . The outbreak did not cost any lives, but it triggered an economic depression, as many tourists stayed away.
The city is well developed in terms of transport - by provincial road 43, which connects Los Antiguos with Perito Moreno , 45 kilometers east, where there is a connection to the north-south connection from Mendoza to Punta Arenas. In the area there are also interesting caves, such as the Cueva de Altamira with prehistoric rock carvings or the Cueva de las Manos (part of the cultural heritage of mankind). 80 kilometers south of Los Antiguos is the Perito Moreno National Park , while the Laguna San Rafael and Los Huemules National Parks are on the Chilean side .
