Tafí del Valle

The town of Tafí del Valle in Republic of Argentina is located dand the Département of Tafí del Valle, of which it is the chief town. It is in the North-West of the province of Tucumán, with 126 kilometers of the provincial capital, San Miguel de Tucumán.

Geography

The geographical coordinates of the city are.

It is practically in the center of the beautiful valley of Tafí which separates the high cordilleras from the Nevado del Aconquija in the south and the Cumbres Calchaquíes in north. The valley constitute the important passage which connects the Vallées Calchaquies to the west, and the large plain chaco-pampéenne in the east.

The city is at an altitude of 2.014 meters.

Its population was of 4.028 inhabitants in 2001. The intercensal growth of population was of 35,49% (1991 - 2001)

Toponymy

Taktik yakta (in idiom Kakan: " Village of splendid the entrée") appears to have been the initial name of the locality and valley which it dominates. This extremely complicated name would have been simplified by Spanish and is transformed into Tafí .

History

The area has been populated for more than seven millenia. 2300 years ago were established there people of farmers and gatherers. They were probably the predecessors of the Culture Tafí .

In the middle of XVIe century, the Spanish presence begins, but they immediately could not condolider their presence, vis-a-vis the courageous resistance of the diaguitas, especially that opposed by the partiality (tribe) of the Calchaquí S.

In 1636 the valley was offered like Merced Real ( royal seigniory or royal pardon ) to the Spanish family of Leguizamo there Guevara which created a Estancia there. This one was bought by the Jésuites which had been already established in the area in 1617. It is to the Jesuits that one owes the beginnings of a Milk industry and especially production of excellent cheeses in the valley.

Climate and ecology

Being given altitude, the prevalent climate is moderate with winter snows. The Eastern sector of the valley, where the town of Tafí del Valle is, is wet with a Biome of meadow where the Graminée S with thickets of Conifère S prevail, of caducifoliés and of soft S . Towards the west, moisture decreases what gives place to the sporadic presence of Cactacée S like the cardones or cactus candlesticks . Contrast is definitely spectacular at the place called Abra del Infiernillo . There one can immediately observe in the west the semi-deserts and deserts and the east the always green meadows, wood, the covered forests of abundant clouds.

In Tafí del Valle the average maximum temperatures of summer (in January) are of 26 ºC, those of winter (in July) are only of 16 ºC. In winter, there are frequently temperatures of -5 ºC.

Economy

The prevalent wet moderate climate supported, since the arrival of Spanish with XVIe century, the Ovine breeding of S, Bovine S, équidé S and to a lesser extent of Caprine S, as well as the cereal culture like the Corn. The livestock products allowed the production of excellent Fromage S ( queso in Spanish).

Since second half of the XXe century, tourism (initially of adventure) enormously developed.

Tourism

The town of Tafí del Valle is regarded as the place of end of the week and rest of privileged summer of the inhabitants of San Miguel de Tucumán, as well thanks to its natural beauties as by its climate. From 2003, one started to include this splendid tourist area among the " packages" international including/understanding the circuit of the Argentinian North-western or NOA.

Leaving the town of San Miguel de Tucumán, towards Tafí, provincial roads 307 penetrate in the forest tucumane, and engage in majestic the Quebrada of los Sosa, which is in addition a natural reserve. The road passes by three worthy places to be mentioned for its géoformes curious, i.e. " El Indio" , " Heladera" , and " El Fin del Mundo".

At the Eastern entry of Valle de Tafí, the locality of El Mollar is, which offers a complete tourist infrastructure and supplementing that of the town of Tafí del Valle.
One of principal attractions of the tourist area of Tafí, they are its Menhir S (of the Celt men=pierre hir=longue). They are monoliths, cut by the local indigenous people of the Tafí culture.

At the beginning they were dispersed in all the valley but unfortunately the military dictatorship of Videla and consorts with a great scientific incompetence justified to join together them all in the Parque los Menhires close to the locality of El Mollar, supposedly to preserve their integrity and to avoid the damage caused by the tourists. To thus destroy the immense space of distribution of the stones to gather them is a typical demonstration of bureaucratic inculture of ignorant authorities.

Very close to El Mollar, while going up towards Tafí del Valle the Lake of Angostura is which, in addition to the landscape between frequently snow-covered high mountains, offers the pleasures of fishing and the water sports. Of this lake runs the abundant one and clear river called río Sosa, which shortly after its birth runs in cañons forming cataracts there.

With less than 10 km of the center of Tafí del Valle, one finds the complex jesuitic of Banda (built at the beginning of the XVIIIe century), the mount Cerro Ñuñorco Grande and the museum Casa Duende (museum dedicated to the beliefs, myths and traditions of the area).

Tafí offers a large variety of activities of outdoor like walks to horse, excursions in the vehicles 4x4, trekking, windsurf, parapente and visits with its churches and estancias.

Each year, at the Holy Week one carries out a representation of the Passion of Christ with local actors. Year by year, the number of spectators goes growing.

Another worthy event to be mentioned is the Festival Nacional del Queso or national Festival of the Cheese which takes place the every years in February.

While going more to north, one will be able to profit from a panoramic sight of all the valley, and to continue the road which leads to Amaichá del Valle, with the ruins of Quilmes, El Pichao, Colalao del Valle and Cafayate (the latter in the province of Salta and very famous for its excellent wines).

External bonds

TafidelValle.com Gate of the locality
Tafí del Valle Seen of the city by satellite (Google Maps)

References

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