CATHEDRAL OF SALTA
On April 16th , 1582, Don Fernando de Lerma, founder of the city of Salta, designated the best lands for the most important public buildings. The Santísimo Redentor Holy Redemption Main Church was consequently built on one of those lots a short time after the city's foundation, and was made of adobe brick walls and straw roofs.

From that first church there are no remains left, with the sole exception of the site, the same where the present Cathedral stands today. This building is the fourth in a row built in the same place, the last one dating back to the year 1855 and was built on top of the remains of the original one.

The stone used as masonry was extracted from the San Bernardo Mountain, while the Tipa tree and willow trunks used to construct arcs and scaffolds were cut in Motojoro and La Viña. The Italian masters Soldati, Giorgi and Righetti, who finished it in 1882, assumed project and construction, successively.

The building is composed of three ample naves and a notable cross vault or transept. Above this appears the dome with a lantern. The façade and the towers that compose it are the main characteristics using an Italian style, both projected by the architect Luis Giorgi, who also designed the main altar.

The façade presents Corinthian columns, balustrades and cornices, which distinguishes it from the upper part. Atop these balustrades emerge the twin towers and the central body. The internal decoration is symmetric. Although poor materials where used, the general appearance is rich, due to the gilded painting.

In the far end of the left nave is located the Capilla del Señor del Milagro Miraculous Lord Chapel, depicting an image of Crucified Christ donated by the Bishop Victoria, which was mysteriously found inside a box floating on the waters nearby the El Callao Port, in Peru, from where it was brought to Salta.

One century later this Christ turned out to be the protector of the city, mainly because, according with the popular account, the image saved the city from been devastated by an earthquake, which occurred on September 16, 1692, during which the priest José Carrión had a revelation in a dream that only taking out the Christ on a procession would end the cataclysms.

From that day on, the "Fiesta del Milagro" or "the Miracle Festivity" takes place on every second week of September.

Later on, through a National decree given on September 19, 1918, the "Panteón de las Glorias del Norte" Pantheon to the Glorious Deeds of the Northern Campaign Memorial was erected inside the Cathedral. And from October 20th of that same year the remains of Generals Martín Miguel de Güemes and Rudendino Alvarado rest there.

The church is located on Calle España 596 Street, facing the Plaza 9 de Julio Square, and was declared a National Historical Monument on July 14th, 1941.

SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH AND MONASTERY
When Don Fernando de Lerma distributed the lots of what would become the centre of Salta, he did not forget conferring the Franciscan Fathers with a hectare for the construction of their church and convent. The prior of the order, Fray Juan Bartolomé de la Cruz was the recipient of the good news.

The first stage of the construction ended in the year 1625. A second temple was built in 1674, but was destroyed by a fire on the midst of the 18th century. Later on, the building of a new church was started, under the directions of Fray Vicente Muñoz from Sevilla, who also built the Iglesia de San Francisco Church in Buenos Aires and the magnificent dome of the Córdoba Cathedral.

San Francisco was remodelled again in 1870. Architect Luis Giorgi modified its front by erecting the tower that can be seen today crowning the temple, being also the highest of their kind in South America, reaching 53 metres high.

In 1879 the main staircase of the Monastery was built, and in 1881 the church's old tower was demolished. Master builder Francisco Righetti was hired with the purpose of constructing a new one.

In the year of 1909 the clock of the tower was installed. Then, in 1915 came the time for the marble floor and electricity. It was declared a National Historical Monument on July 14th, 1941.

A very solemn entrance enhances the beauty of the atrium, and two lateral sideways connects with the Caseros Street and with the Convent's cloister. The triple access to the atrium leads to a single richly proportioned nave, focusing on the lesser altar. The transept stands out, highlighted by the central dome.

It contains an important library, where magnificent incunabula and rare antique worthless editions are kept. The temple also possesses valuable pieces of art, among which could be mentioned an image of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, a San Pedro by Alcántara and a painting depicting San Francisco de Asís (attributed by some experts to Pitti, and to Zurbarán by others).

There is also a small museum that keeps very interesting works.

SAN BERNARDO CHURCH, HOSPITAL AND CONVENT
On September 30, 1582, San Bernardo was elected by the town council as Santo Patron, or Patron Saint, to protect the city's foundation. A while after this election took place; the construction of a Hermitage nearby the Cerro San Bernardo Mountain was started.

The city council kept the patronage of the hermitage, which indicates it cared for that the money provided to build it was based on charity and pious gifts as tradition demanded. Its construction is considered to have concluded during the middle of the 16th century.

The Hermitage suffered both times of abandon and flourishing. Moreover, in times when the Cathedral was going through a reconstruction, it was used as a Main Church. During the earthquakes that took place in 1697, it became severely damaged. In 1714 it was practically in ruins.

Governor Urizar y Arepacochaga ordered to have the Hermitage re-built in the year 1723. His name was graved on the portal lintel along with this inscription: "Alabado sea el Santísimo Sacramento LDO Urizar" which means "Praise to the Exceedingly Holy Sacrament LDO Urízar". It was additionally enriched with a carved "retablo" or altarpiece done by sculptor master Don Gabriel Gutiérrez de Escobar, who started to work on it in 1720 and finished it in 1728.

The simplicity of forms of the façade and the towers of the small temple suffered some modifications between 1845 and 1847 to support an image of Santa Teresa on its upper part.

The Hospital was built during the late years of the 16th century and early 17ths as expressed in 1626 by Gómez de Ríos and by the Governor Alonso de la Rivera. It is very likely that it was destroyed by the 1692 earthquake, since by the early 18th century there existed no remains of it.

The construction of the new Hospital was very sluggish. Until 1726 it could not be inhabited, and moreover, it suffered reiterative inconveniences that caused it to suspend its functions. On August 20, 1805 the hospital was re-opened under the care of the Bethlemite Fathers.

With the passing of time, the importance of the hospital diminished. In 1846, the Presbyter Don Isidoro Fernández brought from Chile the Monjas Carmelitas Descalzas Nuns with the idea of creating a Nunnery, which was given the name of "Nuevo Carmelo de San Bernardo". So it came to be that the ancient Hermitage and the annexed Hospital was turned into the present day Convento de San Bernardo Convent

The Convent façade was restored by the architect Mario J. Buschiazzo. Nowadays it's the oldest among religious buildings of the Province and has been proclaimed a National Historical Monument.

Its portal, carved from carob tree wood, is considered a jewel of Salta colonial art. It was handcrafted by aboriginal hands and dates from 1762. Beforehand, this door belonged to the house of the Bernardo de Cámara family. Since about the middle of the 19th century, the Monasterio de Carmelitas operates there. It's located in Caseros and Santa Fe.

TEMPLE OF OUR LADY OF CANDLEMAS IN VIÑA - SALTA
Around 1630, the owners of the Hacienda La Viña Ranch entrusted the construction of a chapel to host the image of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, brought from the Portuguese city of Coimbra. Devotion to it was developed in short time among the neighbourhood, and around the year of 1735 the icon was taken to the Hermitage dedicated to the Nazarene, in the city of Salta.

Alas, towards the end of that century, the sanctuary was in ruins. The work to built a new one started in 1873 and the Macchi Brothers Company was entrusted with the job. The financing was done with donations from Perú and Bolivia, and, to stimulate the delivering of charity by the devotees, a replica of the Virgen de la Candelaria image was taken out on horseback, hence the surname "La Sentadita" which means approximately "The Little Seated Lady".

The temple was consecrated on March 25, 1886. An imposing building in Italian style, 9it stands out as one of the last religious works of this size accomplished on the liberal period. The temple's tower, segregated from the main body, was skilfully projected by master Francisco Righetti, who finished it in 1908, along with the renewal of the façade.

The plan, arranged in a Latin cross, presents three naves with transepts, accented by semicircular apses. The Presbyterium, preceding the central apse, holds the main altar.

The lateral naves, surrounded by lesser altars, present a lower ceiling than the central nave's vault, which allows for the illumination of the latter. Besides the entrance of the left nave is the circular layout of the baptistery and the central baptismal pile, roofed by a small dome.

The facade is displayed in three bodies, the last of which lightens on its sides with pinnacles that come together in the central nave. Access is accomplished through three arcades framed by Corinth pilasters supporting a rich and brilliant wooden plank ceiling.

Established as a National Historical Monument since 1982, it is situated in the corner of Alberdi and San Juan streets.

CARMEN DE ANGASTACO CHURCH
Along the spectacular National Route No 40, 35 kilometres away from the Molinos Locality, and at 50 kilometres from San Carlos, the impressive presence of the Iglesia del Carmen stands out, portrayed as in a pedestal at the margins of Rio Calchaqui River, facing a set of colourful mountains patiently carved by the winds throughout the ages.

This chapel, namely one of the foremost examples of Colonial art in the Calchaquíes Valleys, is part of the Salta patrimony due to its long history filled with inheritances and family traditions.

It all started on the year of 1769, when the then proprietors of the "Estancia de Angastago" Ranch as it was known on those times, Don Francisco de Fonseca y Trusa, and Doña María Andrea Diez Gómez, sold it to the Presbyterian clerk Don Pedro Pablo del Sueldo y Ríos.

As was the custom of the times, a friend of the priest donated an amount of money destined to built a church, in which a mass would be daily offered on behalf of the donor's name, in merit to save his soul and win indulgencies for his eternal forgiveness.

That is how, in 1783, in order to fulfil a pledged word, the temple was built, and it very soon became, an obliged place of worship and other religious ceremonies to the inhabitants of the surrounding ranches and villages. The priests that attended masses in this place, dwelled in a house that later became a chaplainry.

Along the years, as different proprietors held the lands, the place turned into a flourishing town, transforming it, by a Decree given on November 25, 1844, into the "Parroquia Independiente de San Carlos y de Molinos Independent Parish".

In 1833, as the rural population from the ranch tended to displace towards the place where actually stands the town of Angastaco, seven kilometres south of the Chapel's location, the latter's influence weakened and eventually lost its past importance as Vice-Parish.

It was not until the year of 1968 that the new owners of the ranch decided to restore the Chapel.

SAN JOSE CHURCH
In the 18th century, the town of Cachí was born on the grounds of the "Hacienda" Cachí Ranch, property of the Aramburú family, and the small chapel erected by them as a private oratory, turned out to serve as the town's temple. Such was the birth of this monument, situated facing a small vice royal styled place connected to the major town's square, framed by a natural mountainous landscape.

The church was profoundly modified on the year of 1890, when a new neoclassical portico was added to the façade concealing its primitive reed-mace belfry. Then, in 1946 the portico was eliminated, although this didn't imply a full restoration of its original appearance.

It presents a single nave covered by a vault, composed of adobe-bordered arches, with spurge wood alcoves. The original mud and straw roof cover is nowadays protected by tin sheets. The gallery that runs along the church's right side has a lot of artistically values, due to the rhythmic succession of the b buttresses that support the vault's weight. A cardon wood planking covers the floor, uniting the whole space with warm ochre tones.

The distance from Salta City is about 146 kilometres travelling over the No 33 Provincial Route and the No 68 National Route, and reaches 2,280 m.a.s.l.

SAN PEDRO NOLASCO DE MOLINOS CHURCH
During the second half of the 17th century, Don Diego Díaz Gómez entrusted the edification of an oratory in the manor house of his "Encomienda de Molinos". His son-in-law, General Domingo de Isasmendi, enlarged it, before giving it to the Tucumán Diocese, purposely to found the Parish of San Pedro Nolasco de Cachalquï.

The present church was probably erected on the late 18th century, on the same location, by Don Nicolás Severo Isasmendi, last of the royal governors in Salta.

And around this Chapel grew the town of Molinos.

The church presents a huge atrium surrounded by a low fence, with three entrances. Conformed by a single nave, although two lateral chapels provide a cross-like shape. A chorus protrudes outwardly above the access, protected by a shelter arch that also connects with both bell towers.

Two flat panelled towers, with simple mouldings on them, are crowned with hemispherical small domes, generating an extraordinarily harmonic and expressive ensemble. The inside, with its b white adobe walls, culminates on level with the main altar's altarpiece. With its dark and heavy wooden armouring, the roofing makes a deep contrast with the rest of the building. Above it, a spurge wood planking with its wooden beams in sight supports the roof tiled cover, stuck onto mud cake.

On the year of 1826, the church was declared the "Parroquia de San Pedro de Nolasco de los Molinos" Parish. It is found on the National Route No 40, 46 kilometres from Cachí, 112 kilometres from Cafayate and at an altitude of 2020 m.a.s.l.

SAN CARLOS BORROMEO CHURCH
During the year of 1719, Field Master Fernando de Lisperguer y Aguirre, had a chapel built on his farm Hacienda de San Carlos, that eventually collapsed. Over its ruins, the present one was built in 1801, being consecrated in 1854.

This church, largest one around the Calchaquíes Valleys, and the only one of the zone with transept and dome, shows the importance that this region once held. As a matter of fact, San Carlos came to challenge the city of Salta for the honour of being the Capital of the Province.

The use of European styled elements puts in evidence the will to outstand and exalt the church building. In 1930, some earthquakes weakened the original vaulted roof, which forced its replacement for one of derricks and tin plates. Thus, the quality space of the single nave, with thick adobe walls, became altered.

The arms of the transept and the sanctuary still maintain its vaults armed upon wooden beams, supported by half point arches. The apse's backside is covered by a masonry altar, according to the customs around the valley. A notable popular imagery with Hispanic style enriches all the altars.
On the facade, the luminous plans that the towers display, gives great contrasts with the shadows thrown by the great superior shelter arch and the access doorway, characterized by the columns that stand rotated against the general plot, bear three half point arches.

The historical town of San Carlos, in the Calchaquíes valleys, is located on National Route No 40, 24 kilometres away from Cafayate.