The first impression the traveller receives when he arrives to the small village of Casabindo is the sight of the shining white immense church against the reddish brown backdrop of the rocky mountainside cliffs.

Casabindo is a traditional place in the highlands of Jujuy, surrounded by mountains and, which as early as in 1590 had a permanent fulltime parish priest. In pre Hispanic times, a branch of the Inca road passed through here on its way to Chile, and during colonial times it was the capital of the local Encomienda or Spanish land grant.

It is an old indigenous settlement, and close by you will find archaeological sites such as Sorcuyo, on the northernmost shore of the Laguna de Guayatayoc Lake, located 23 kilometres from Casabindo.

During the XVIIIth century, the village of Casabindo became very important due to the construction of its church, which is considered the Cathedral of the Puna - "la Catedral de la Puna".

The Ascension Church - La Iglesia de la Asunción (A National Historic Monument) is totally walled in by a masonry wall, which only access is through a rustic arch. It was built in 1772, and its interior is decorated with paintings and ornaments of the Cuzco School; of particular interest are the four votive altars, set into the outside masonry wall at equidistant places.

On August 15th each year, the Patron Saint's Day of Our Lady of the Ascension, the village streets are filled with people dancing typical and traditional dances. Amongst these we can mention the so called Danza de los Samilantes, a fair offering local sweets and other Regional produce, and also a singular bloodless bullfight called the Bullfight of the Ribbon - Toreo de la Vincha, where the participants try to snatch a ribbon with silver coins from the horns of the bull, a ribbon which the winner later offers up to the Virgin.

Its buildings are mainly made out of adobe clay and stonewall, with roofs of clay and straw; the houses climb up the steep cliff sides where they blend in with the big ochre coloured cliff sides, in the midst of the local hilly terrain.

It is located 55 kilometres southwest of Abra Pampa, at an altitude of 3377 m.a.s.l. down Provincial Route - Ruta Provincial Nº 1. Its few inhabitants live off the land, dedicating themselves mainly to the breeding of sheep and the manufacture of regional style handmade rugs and ponchos out of sheep and llama wool.

One day round trips from Casabindo include the small village of Abra Pampa, with a small museum, car services and accommodations. On the way you can stop over at the National Institute of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry experimental farm where they breed vicuñas in captivity. There is also a hostelry.

THE BULLFIGHT OF THE RIBBON
It is a bullfight, singular in all of Argentina, which takes place on occasion of the Patron Saint's Day of Our Lady of the Ascension. The young people among the spectators will make improvised jumps into the plaza trying to snatch a silver coin studded ribbon from the horns of the animal.

This bullfight will take place in the square in front of the church on every August 15th. It is a tradition brought to Argentina by the Spaniards 5000 years ago, and which has been embellished with the proper characteristics of the northern part of Argentina. Its main difference is that the animal is not wounded or killed as in other regular bullfights.

As a sample of two cultures living together in harmony is the fact that while you watch the preparations for the bullfight in the plaza, not far off, a ceremony called Calpachada, consisting of the burial of coca leaves and alcoholic beverages as a payment to the Mother Earth - Pachamama takes place since the month of August is also the month of sacrifice to this deity.

WHEN TO VISIT.
Any time of the year is a good time to visit. The road police - Gendarmería will give information on the state of the road.