Purmamarca and the Hill of Seven Colors

The Hill of Seven Colors: Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Purmamarca, a town in the province of Jujuy, northern Argentina. Located at the foot of the Hill of Seven Colors, a multicolored mountain that is part of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Purmamarca

Jujuy is a picture postcard of our country that is a delight for all the senses. Among all the dazzling places that we can visit in Jujuy, today we will focus especially on the town of Purmamarca, located 65 km from San Salvador de Jujuy.

The name “Purmamarca” derives from the Aymara language, in which “Purma” means desert and “Marca” means city, so it could literally be translated as “Village of the desert”, but in that language desert also refers to uncultivated or virgin land, untouched by the hand of man. Hence the most appropriate translation in this language is “Village of the virgin land”.

The town is of pre-Hispanic origin where the life of its 300 inhabitants revolves around the main square, there is a permanent craft fair, a thousand-year-old carob tree and the church of Santa Rosa de Lima which dates from 1648.

Hill of the Seven Colors

Purmamarca could be described as the little village nestling at the foot of the Hill of Seven Colors, which rises up like a wonderful backdrop behind the town. It is surprising and at the same time striking for its peculiar range of colors. This diverse range of shades is due to a slow geological formation in which various minerals have been deposited in different layers over several million years.

Due to the plurality of its colors, it is a unique natural event in the world. The combination of colors - pink from clay, whitish from limestone, red from iron clay, green from copper oxide slate and mustard yellow created by sulfur-bearing limestone sandstone - offers a delight for the eyes of those who observe it.

The Hill of Seven Colors has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003. Thanks to this natural monument, northern Argentina has become one of the main tourist destinations in the country in recent years.

Exciting tours can be taken in the surrounding area, including horseback riding. Ampascachi offers travelers different alternatives for touring northern Argentina, including Purmamarca as a destination. All of them are designed to make you feel at ease and enjoy the wonders of the place, thanks to its multicolored landscapes, ancient traditions, typical dishes and folk rhythms.

Discover with Ampascachi Purmamarca and the Hill of Seven Colors, which is a beautiful symphony of colors, worthy of appreciation and highly recommended to visit!