Tafí del Valle
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| Basic data | |||
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| location | 26 ° 51 ′ S , 65 ° 42 ′ W | ||
| Height above d. M .: | 2014 m | ||
| Population (2001): | 4028 | ||
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| administration | |||
| Province : |
 Tucuman
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| Department : | Tafí del Valle | ||
| Mayor: | Carlos Rodríguez | ||
| Others | |||
| Postal code : | T4137 | ||
| Telephone code: | 03867 | ||
| Tafí del Valle website | |||
Tafí del Valle is the capital of the department of the same name Tafí del Valle in the province of Tucumán in northwestern Argentina . The place is located in the west of the province at an altitude of 2,014 meters, has 4,028 inhabitants (2001, INDEC ) and is 126 kilometers from the provincial capital San Miguel de Tucumán . This can be reached via the Ruta Nacional 38 and the Ruta Provincial 307 .
geography
Tafí is located in the center of the valley of the same name, between the Nevado del Aconquija mountain range in the south and the Calchaquíes peaks in the north. The valley forms the pass between the Valles Calchaquíes in the west and the Llanura Chacopampeana in the east. The high-altitude pass Abra del Infiernillo shows the great contrast between the west and east of the valley : looking to the east, one sees the evergreen pastures and forests under cloud roofs and in the west a desert and semi-desert landscape.
climate
Due to the altitude, there is a moderate climate with winter snowfall on the peaks. The eastern part of the valley, where the town of Tafí del Valle is also located, is humid and favors grazing and forest growth. In the west the humidity decreases and pastures and forests give way to the candelabra cacti (cardones) in a barren, dry landscape. In Tafí del Valle the average maximum summer temperatures (in January) are 26 ° C , in winter (July) 16 ° C, whereby in winter the thermometer often falls to -5 ° C.
history
The original name of the place and the valley was probably Taktikllakta , which comes from the Kakana , the language of the native inhabitants of the valley, and was simplified by the Spaniards in Tafí. The meaning of Taktikllakta is given as People of the Glorious Gate .
It is believed that the valley was first settled over 7,000 years ago. 2,300 years ago those farmers and gatherers settled who were probably the predecessors of the Tafí culture. The Spanish conquerors came in the middle of the 16th century, but met with determined resistance from the Diaguitas and especially the Calchaquíes warriors, who populated and ruled the valley at that time, so that the conquest of the valley became a lengthy act.
In 1636 the Leguizamo y Guevara family received the valley from the Spanish crown and founded an estancia . This in turn is bought by the Jesuits , who had established themselves in the region since 1617. On the initiative of the Jesuits, dairy farming began, especially cheese-making.
economy
Since the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century, cattle breeding has formed the backbone of the economy in Tafí del Valle, favored by the mildly humid climate. In addition to sheep, cattle and horses - to a lesser extent - goats are also bred. The dairy industry in turn led to the fact that the place developed into a regionally known place for cheese production . In addition to animal husbandry and dairy farming, wheat cultivation is one of the agricultural activities worth mentioning. In recent decades, slowly at first and last plays rapidly emerging tourism an increasingly important role.
tourism
Together with Villa Nogues, Tafí del Valle is one of the most popular weekend destinations for the residents of San Miguel de Tucumán. In the hot summer of the capital, the place becomes a retreat for the rich Tucumanos, who often have a summer residence in Tafí. The mild mountain climate and the contrasting natural beauties created an irresistible amalgam that has been attracting more and more national and international tourists for several years.
The approach to Tafí del Valle is usually from San Miguel de Tucumán via the Ruta Provincial 307 . It leads through dense forest to the Quebrada de los Sosa , a protected nature reserve (Reserva Natural). The viewpoints El Indio , La Heladera and El Fin del Mundo offer beautiful views and opportunities to buy handicrafts .
At the eastern entrance to the Valle de Tafí is the municipality of El Mollar , whose special attraction is the Parque de los Menhires . The Lago de Angostura , between El Mollar and Tafí del Valle, lies between mountains that are often snow-capped and is used for water sports and fishing. The wild Rio Soso arises as an outflow from the lake and forms several waterfalls in its course through narrow gorges.
In addition to the historical search for traces when visiting estancias and churches, the valley above all offers opportunities for adventure and trekking tourism.
Hotels and restaurants
The expansion of the hotel and catering industry is increasingly taking into account the growing interest in Tafí del Valle, especially in national tourism . Accommodation ranges from inexpensive hostels to exclusive mansions on estancias in and around the town. The number of catering establishments has also increased and ranges from traditional, local cuisine to parrillas and trout dishes to pasta and pizza. The wide range of cheeses and sausages can be seen as a particular local specialty.
Worth seeing
- Museo Casa Duende. The Gnome House Museum is dedicated to the traditions of the region, its myths and popular beliefs.
- Conjunto Jesuítico de La Banda (approx. 10 km from the center) Jesuit complex from the beginning of the 18th century.
- Parque de los Menhires (El Mollar). The word menhir comes from Gaelic and means high ( hir ) stone ( men ). These are man-made monoliths that were created by the inhabitants of the valley during the time of the Tafí culture. Originally they were scattered all over the valley, but were grouped together in Parque de los Menhires by order of the military government. The praiseworthy intention to protect the stones from robbery and damage was - in the opinion of the experts dealing with them - thwarted by their detachment from their local context, which makes further research difficult.
- Lago de Angostura (between El Mollar and Tafí del Valle)
- Cerro Ñuñorco Grande
Festivals
- Festival Nacional del Queso. Every year in February.
- Pasión de Cristo. During Easter week, the passion of Christ is portrayed by local amateur actors. An event that attracts a larger number of spectators year after year.
Web links
- IFAM population data (Spanish)
- Portal of Tafí del Valle (Spanish)
- LiveArgentina.com - City information (Spanish) ( Memento of February 2, 2009 in the Internet Archive )