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Cultural San Pedro
(half and/or full-day)
Modern Day San Pedro
The plaza or main square, with its paved walkways, is surrounded by historic pimiento (Schinus molle) or 'pepper' trees. Next to the municipality buildings is the artisan galleries, which counts on typical products of local artists. From the main square, two of San Pedro's main cultural attractions can be found - the Museo Arqueológico and Ingesia de San Pedro de Atacama.
Museo Arqueológico
The R P Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum displays a personal collection of around 45,000 artefacts, from skulls, mummies, weapons and utensils on exhibition and with many more in temporary storage, despite the modern building. The history of the collection began with the arrival of the Belgium Jesuit missionary priest, Father Gustavo Le Paige in 1955, who was deeply interested in the evolution of the Atacameñan culture. He founded the Regional Archaeological Museum of San Pedro de Atacama on January 6th, 1963. Father Le Paige died 1980.
Located towards a corner of San Pedro de Atacama's plaza, it presents a complete exposition of the evolution of the Atacameñan culture over 11,000 years of history, selected between the vast collection that reaches over 450,000 archaeological objects and 100 ethnographic objects.
The museum has come into conflict with local indigenous communities over the public displays of ancestral mummies, dating from 500 BC and preserved in the dry desert conditions, including the famous 'Miss Chile' who retained hair and eyelashes. In 2007, the mummies were taken out of the Museum and placed in storage. There are now requests from the local community that the mummies to be reburied out of respect for the ancestors.
Ingesia de San Pedro de Atacama
Located to the side of the plaza, on the site of an original church believed to date from 1641, the existing walls of the Church of San Pedro were built in 1774, and were restored between 1839 and 1843, after a fire, with the bell tower restored most recently in 1964, replacing a wooden structure. In February 2001, the altar and five wax holy sculptures were burned in an act of arson. Local artisans have created the reconstructions of these artefacts which are now displayed in the church.
Today it is the most important architectural attraction of the region, being the largest example and one of oldest in Chile. Declared a National Monument in 1951, the church is made of rock and adobe walls whitewashed with lime, while its roof is made with wood from indigenous chañar (Geoffrea decorticans) and algarrobo (Prosopis spp) trees, the beams tied with leather, and panelled with dried cardón cactus (Echinopsis atacamensisa) 'wood'.
Each year on the 28th and 29th of June the festival of the town's joint saints of San Pedro and San Pablo is celebrated in a major annual display of the region's cultural heritage.
Toconao Town
This small town of 600 inhabitants is known for its buildings of local liparita stone of volcanic ash origin and also known for its interesting craft objects of the same material - the quarry can be visited a short distance from the town. The word 'Toconao' comes from the Kunza word 'toco' that means 'stone'. Tocanao is located near the foothills of the Andes, 38km from San Pedro.
The Toconao oasis is known for its characteristic Campanario de San Lucas (San Lucas belfry or bell tower), built in 1750 and its separate Iglesia de San Lucas (Church of San Lucas) dating from 1744, on the opposite side of the street to each other. The town celebrates the fiesta of San Lucas on 18th October each year.
Its traditional streets with small craft factories and pre-Hispanic orchards reflect the main source of work of its inhabitants, based in agricultural (especially fruit farming in its irrigated orchards in which quinces and fig trees abound) and artisan activities - in particular crafts made in the local volcanic stone.
Notable as the only oasis in locality which receives arsenic-free water, its small and irregular orchards have been cultivated since pre-Hispanic times, growing all types of fruit. The narrow but shady Quebrada de Jerez (Jerez creek), a small fertile stream which flows into the town with a long valley and natural pools, gives water to the town. A dam holds water for irrigating the two main areas under cultivation. Archaeological evidence of early human use of the area dates from 11,000 BC, with examples of prehistoric rock art found along the creek.
Can be visited as part of an afternoon excursion in conjunction with visit to the Salar de Atacama - Laguna Chaxa for the recommended sunset.
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