Quilmes Ruins

The Quilmes Ruins are located in the Calchaquí Valley, Tucumán, Argentina. These are the rests of the major Pre Columbian settlement of the country. It occupies 30 hectares approximately and is located close to Alto Rey Mountain.
The place was first property of the native town, later of the provincial state and later of a private concessionaire and finally of the Quilmes town descendants. This ruins have been partly reconstructed, nowadays it could be visited by tourists.
The ruins were studied in 1897 for the first time by the archeologist Juan Bautista Ambrosetti and restored by a team under Norberto Pelissero leadership, with archeology more than tourist criteria.

The Quilmes ruins were discovered by Juan Bautista Ambrosetti apparently in 1897, but however, it was found first by Lafone Quevedo, in 1888.

The Quilmes ruins are a building complex that used to belong to the native town, in this place rectangular and circular construction plant rests can be. This settlement where the home of Quilmes families, but it wasn’t well accepted by its neighbors the Calchaquí Indians which whom they have bloody battles. Finally they allied to fight with the Spanish, and were defeated on XVII century.

The fortress where maintained till XVII century, with a population of  3000 persons and finally they were forced to move out on foot 1200 kilometers till the are where today is Quilmes city in Buenos Aires province.

What to visit

The rests of the city ca be observed stone houses, old rock walls and also cactus. The original city included a chapel built by the Spanish to evangelize the natives, more or less 5000 persons. Other important elements of the ruins are the reservoirs and the major quantity of crops mostly corns the nutritious base of the native diet.
Also many housing ruins made of stone can be observed in the area, the stone walls are built without mortar, milling areas, production sectors, channels, paths, and courtyards, watchtowers along the enormous reservoir that used to provide water and two cemeteries. 

How to get there

The Quilmes Ruins are located on Alto el Rey Mountain, to 20 Kilometers of Amaicha Del Valle.
- To reach the ruins, it is possible to make a horseback riding or it is also possible to reach it on foot.
- It is also possible to access by car by the national route 40 that ends at Alto del Rey Mountain where the Quilmes settlement is located.
- From San Miguel de Tucumán city, you have to travel south by National Route 38 till Acheral (45 Km.), subsequently to the west by National Route 307. After Amaicha Del Valle, it connects with the National Route 40, covering 180 Kilometers in total.

Useful information

- This ruins are an important tourism attraction for Tucumán area
- The tourist must pay an entrance fee.  
- To make an excursion by the archeological place you have to ascent 1978 m.a.s.l.
- The visit duration is approximately 12 hours if you decide to take it with a tourist guide. In this case generally the enterprises organize a tour that also covers some regions of the province before reaching final destination.

Recommended Hotels in Tucuman

• Francia Hotel
• Tucuman Center Hotel
• Dallas hotel
• Mediterraneo Hotel