The province of Jujuy is located in the north-westernmost portion of Argentina. The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a narrow valley –about 150 km long– sheltered by mountain ranges that provide a unique perspective and it is undoubtedly the landmark of the province of Jujuy. Its main feature is the Rio Grande, which carves its way deep through the valley, concentrating the largest population in the area. The particular features of the region of the Quebrada in terms of geology, phytogeography and climate highlight it from the other three regions within the province: the Puna, the valleys and the Yungas.
The Quebrada de Humahuaca is today home to ancient traditions thriving to survive. Man first came to this land around 10,000 years ago and, in deep communion with the landscape, realized he was part of a whole and began shaping his culture. Historically, the Quebrada has been one of the main routes of communication and commerce in the region. It also features visible traces of the Inca Empire (15th and 16th centuries) and Argentina’s fight for independence in the 19th century.
For its outstanding features, the Quebrada de Humahuaca was declared World Heritage Site and Cultural Landscape by UNESCO in 2003. The inclusion of the Quebrada de Humahuaca in the Cultural Landscape category recognizes the intimate connection existing between nature and man. Thus, the landscape and its inhabitants cannot be conceived one without the other. Landscape determines man, and culture vibrates to the beat of the surrounding universe.
The province of Jujuy is located in the north-westernmost portion of Argentina. The Quebrada de Humahuaca is a narrow valley –about 150 km long– sheltered by mountain ranges that provide a unique perspective and it is undoubtedly the landmark of the province of Jujuy. Its main feature is the Rio Grande, which carves its way deep through the valley, concentrating the largest population in the area. The particular features of the region of the Quebrada in terms of geology, phytogeography and climate highlight it from the other three regions within the province: the Puna, the valleys and the Yungas.
The Quebrada de Humahuaca is today home to ancient traditions thriving to survive. Man first came to this land around 10,000 years ago and, in deep communion with the landscape, realized he was part of a whole and began shaping his culture. Historically, the Quebrada has been one of the main routes of communication and commerce in the region. It also features visible traces of the Inca Empire (15th and 16th centuries) and Argentina’s fight for independence in the 19th century.
For its outstanding features, the Quebrada de Humahuaca was declared World Heritage Site and Cultural Landscape by UNESCO in 2003. The inclusion of the Quebrada de Humahuaca in the Cultural Landscape category recognizes the intimate connection existing between nature and man. Thus, the landscape and its inhabitants cannot be conceived one without the other. Landscape determines man, and culture vibrates to the beat of the surrounding universe.