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It is the head of the department with the same name and has been considered the historic capital of Gully. It is located 2939 meters above sea level, and is organized in a municipality and different local centers. The 1991 census registered 6146 inhabitants. It has a hospital, drinking water, a Registry Office, fuel and a Post Office. The police has a regional headquarter and a local Police Station.
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Humahuaca was founded in 1594 by Juan Ochoa Zarate, the Limpita Indian chief and some missionaries. Its name comes from an Indian legend that refers to a Head that cried Humahuacac! Humahuacac!. Some historians, like Dr. Horacio Carrillo, maintain that the origin of the name of the place refers to the heads burials, or the burial of some important heads.
Astonishment goes with the traveler to every corner. This town constitutes the center of the Gully and the carnival. The adobe houses, the narrow stone streets and the old colonial streetlights give the impression that time has stopped. There is a variety of museums that show crafts, folklore, paintings and sculptures. 12 Km. away you can visit Coctaca, with its old cultivation terraces. The common life of its inhabitants is full of a legendary past and an impressive scenery.
The Image of San Francisco Solano
It was the idea of the "Lawyer of Argentina" and "Protector of Humahuaca", Dr. Ernesto E. Padilla, who was a specialist in the saint's life. Instead of taking meaningless revenge against those who demolished the Cabildo (the Town's Council) in Humahuaca, Dr. Padilla, had the idea of building something that could replace it for the tourist interest. This is how he came up with the idea of building the current Cabildo with the articulated image of San Francisco Solano, which is also an homage to the saint that did so much to civilize this area (he went by Humahuaca in 1590). San Francisco Solano's image is the first articulated image of a saint in the world. It was inaugurated in 1940, of February 2nd.
Independence Monument
The project for building a national monument dedicated to the country's Independence in Humahuaca was presented in 1925 at the National Congress. It was approved as a law, known as the Law N° 11.383. The project is based on the fact that this is the place where most of the battles for the independence were fought (there were exactly 14 wars for the independence)and on the fact that all the combatants were the gauchos of this region, who fought without the help of any other battalion fighting for the same cause: the National Independence.
Francisco Ramoneda Studio Museum
It shows the works of this great painter. Finally, the archaeological museum and the Northern Carnival museum that exhibit the autochthonous crafts, the customs and traditions of the Northern folklore.
Source:
Secretaría de Turismo de la Provincia de Jujuy
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