- Type
- Ruin
- Origins
- 1300 · 13th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Antofagasta, Chile
- Coordinates
- -22.8908°, -68.2144°
History
The fortress on a steep slope above the San Pedro River was probably built in the 12th or 13th century by the Atacameño (Lickanantay) people to defend the oasis and the trade routes across the desert. The fortified settlement had several hundred stone buildings spread in terraces over the hillside and enclosed by a wall. In the mid-15th century the region fell under Inca rule. In 1540 Pedro de Valdivia's expedition arrived, and a detachment under Francisco de Aguirre took the pukará by storm despite fierce resistance. The ruins were declared a national monument of Chile in 1982 and were later partly consolidated and opened to visitors.
What to see
A path climbs between the tightly packed remains of round and rectangular houses, granaries and pens of stone set in clay. Higher up, a trail leads to a ridge-top viewpoint over the green oasis of San Pedro, the Atacama Desert and the Andean volcanoes, including Licancabur. The fortress lies a few kilometres from town, an easy walk or bike ride.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q2988995
Popularity: articles about this site in 11 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).