Calama

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Introducing Calama

Copper is the pride, the obsession and the raison d'être of self-important Calama and, with the metal's recent skyrocketing price, the upstart mining city is now puffing out its metaphorical chest even further. Everywhere are reminders of the precious metal: copper statues; copper wall-etchings and reliefs; and even a copper-plated spire on the cathedral (talk about a lightning rod!). In 2004 the city also inherited a wave of copper refugees when the entire population of polluted mining town Chuquicamata relocated here.

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Calama (elevation 2250m) is an expensive, brash and somewhat narrow-minded mining city, however, so most travelers use it as a brief stopover en route to backpacker Mecca San Pedro de Atacama.

The city's short history is inextricably tied to that of Chuquicamata. It's a measure of Calama's relative immaturity that it did not acquire its cathedral until 1906 - until then, it was ecclesiastically subordinate to tiny Chiu Chiu.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009

Thorn Tree forum discussion

Recent posts

  1. nahuel avatar
    RE: Salta to San Pedro de Atacama, and back to Salta

    by nahuel 13 September 2011

    www.andesmar.com In the past, there were 3 buses a week, but this could have changed. Check the website. Look for Calama which is close…
  2. homesteader avatar
    RE: Street condition Calama - El Tatio

    by homesteader 13 September 2011

    You are a mad person...homesteader
  3. roberto1938 avatar
    RE: car hire - chile

    by roberto1938 12 September 2011

    Antofagasta is a bigger city along the coast and closer to SP than Iquique, but Calama will do, closer.

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