2023-11-22 14:20:43
In the province of Mendoza and 24 kilometers from the city of Uspallata there is a place that used to be one of the most important gold and zinc mines in the Viceroyalty of the Río de La Plata and who witnessed the epic achievement of the Army of the Andes commanded by General José de San Martín. This is the “ghostly city” of Paramillos, the first mining operation in Argentina, which when it stopped operating became an ideal tourist destination for historians and adventure fans.
Remains of houses that belonged to those who worked in the place and stone constructions appear, which due to their architectural characteristics presumably corresponded to Jesuit settlements.
It is estimated that these missionaries discovered, at the beginning of the 17th century, that the soils in the area were rich in minerals and began exploiting them in 1640. After being expelled from America, the work remained in the hands of the Spanish, and then English investors who, later, with the beginning of the Malvinas War, left Argentina.
Myths and legends
The Huarpes, a people originally from Cuyo, worked in this mine until they left their lives under the exploitation system known as mita and yanaconazgo used by the Spanish conquistadors. Some legends in the area claim that the cries of these indigenous people can be heard at night, but other explanations attribute it to the sound of native birds that scream and produce chilling sounds.
Two other stories that give a mysterious aura to this place. The first has to do with the Robin Hood of Mendoza: Gaucho Cubillos. He is a very popular figure among the people of the area, since for some he is a criminal and for others, a hero. Cubillos was a thief, but he stole for the benefit of the poorest. And he was murdered by the police precisely in the ruins of the Paramillos mine. That is why an altar is built there in his honor, where you can find a crucifix, flowers and offerings. There are many who pass by the Gaucho Cubillos sanctuary to thank you or ask for protection.
The other brings to the scene El Timoteo, a coastal thief who – at that time – was wanted by the police. To camouflage himself, he began working in the Paramillos mines. There he started a new life, away from criminal acts, and the police decided to leave him alone. A few years later, one of the miners was murdered and everyone blamed him. They went following him and El Timoteo hid in the mine tunnels. The police sealed all the exits, the suspect never appeared once more and they did not find his body either.
When the English left, the mines were deactivated until mining tourism began to be promoted, with an interesting walk through the tunnels. Among rocks and minerals, with helmets and flashlights, the guides take the visitor to a world of labyrinthine passages that follow routes of tracks, cars and wells, following the footprints of the ancient workers.
How to get to the Ghostly City of Paramillos
From the city of Uspallata you must take Provincial Route 52: it takes just over half an hour to travel the 34.6 kilometers that separate it from the Ghostly City of Paramillos.
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