Chile - San Pedro de Atacama

"...By the year 1450, the Atacama culture passed into the dominion of the Inca empire. Thus, the cult to the sun and the high summits is enforced upon the people of the area. Ceramics registers the new political reality, and expresses itself in the typical Inca aribalos. The Inca influx improved metallurgy among the Atacama people, and also architecture. From this epoch are defensive construction like the Pukara de Quitor, and the village of Catarpe, administrative center built in stone and mud, from which the taxation on behalf of the empire was organized. In 1540, the Atacama people make contact with the Spanish conquistadores who, after defeating them in the military order, settle in the area and establish Encomiendes de Indios (land and native inhabitants granted to a conquistador), parish and civil administration. The evangelization of the Atacama people succeeded in tu rni ng Ch ristian ity into a value of their own , thus giving rise to an Andean Catholicism lasting to the present day. The Hispanic urban pattern and architecture, combining the Spanish contribution and native techniques, have also survived. The main landmark is the local church, built at the beginning of the XVIII century, after the destruction of the older one. Of a cross-like ground plan, its nave is 41 meters long by 7.50 wide. It is of stone and adobe. The roof framework is of local woods: chahar and alpanrobo, and the ceiling is made of small cactus boards, covered with mud and straw. The characteristic element of the indoors ornamentation is the reredos behind the high altar, of carved stone, displaying beautiful sacred images. The bell tower, of adobe, was recently rebuilt due to the destruction of the former ones. It is built on top of a stoutly volume attached to the building, and has an outdoors staircase. Around the town of San Pedro, there are 12 ayllus, territoriai, productive and social units, typical of the traditional organizing way of the Atacama people. On the whole, the town comprises approximately 1,700 hectares. Its inhabitants live on agriculture -alfalfa, maize and fruit trees- and on shepherding -camelidae, goats and sheep."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

San Pedro Church in Atacama. Thanks to Luk of Belgium who visited North Chile.