Quilmes

Introducing Quilmes

Dating from about AD 1000, Quilmes (admission AR$5; 8am-6pm) was a complex indigenous urban settlement that occupied about 30 hectares and housed as many as 5000 people. The Quilmes locals survived contact with the Inca, which occurred from about AD 1480 onward, but could not outlast the siege of the Spaniards who, in 1667, deported the last 2000 inhabitants to Buenos Aires.

Quilmes’ thick walls underscore its defensive purpose, but clearly this was more than just a pucará. Dense construction sprawls both north and south from the central nucleus, where the outlines of buildings, in a variety of shapes, are obvious even to the casual observer. For revealing views of the extent of the ruins, climb the trails up either flank of the nucleus, which offer vistas of the valley once only glimpsed by the city’s defenders. Give yourself a few hours to explore the nucleus and the surrounding area.

There is a small museum at the entrance, which is well presented but poorly labeled. The admission charge entitles you to a free guided tour (English-speaking guides were available at time of research). The museum shop features a good selection of handicrafts.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009