- Address: San Pedro de Atacama, Antofagasta, Chile;
- Foundation date: 12th c.
Chile is an amazing country, which every adventurer and traveler is indebted to investigate. This wonderful land is famous not only for its wildlife and national reserves, cozy beaches and world-famous museums, but also unique archaeological sites , one of which is the famous fortress of Pukará de Quitor, located in the north-west Chile. Let's talk about it in more detail.
What is interesting about the fortress of Pucara de Quitor?
First of all, it is worth noting that the fortress of Pucara de Quitor is a couple of kilometers from the small village of San Pedro de Atacama and about 50 km from the border of Chile and Bolivia. It is located on the top of a hill, on the southern slope of the brook in the Cordillera de la Sal, through which flows the San Pedro River.
The famous archeological monument, according to researchers, was founded in the pre-Columbian civilizations, or rather - in the XII century. The fort was created to protect the local population from possible military sieges and enemy attacks by residents of other cities of South America, as well as to protect important trade routes. By the way, the maximum height of the hill on which the fortress of Pukara de Kitor is located reaches 80 meters: from such a distance it was very convenient to control the enemy's movement, and steep slopes served as additional protection.
The total area occupied by the fort is approximately 2.9 hectares. In this area were located about 200 buildings that were intended for people living and storing grain, timber and other materials. All the constructions are made of light-brown stone, which changes the shade to a lighter color in the sun.
In 1982, the fortress of Pucara de Quitor was declared a National Monument of Chile and today it is a popular tourist attraction of the country. A visit to the fort is absolutely free and it is possible at any time convenient for you.
How to get there?
Get on a tour of the fortress from the town of San Pedro de Atacama , which is only 3 km away. It's easiest to get to Pucara de Quitor by taking a car or booking a taxi. The journey takes about 10 minutes, the excursion itself lasts about an hour.