Cablecarril Chilecito–La Mejicana Museum (Station 1)
Museo del Cablecarril, Estación N°1
The starting station of a high-altitude mining cableway built in 1904, running about 35 km from 1,075 metres above sea level up to mines at 4,600 metres.
The mining cableway was built between 1903 and 1904 by the German firm Bleichert. Nine stations and more than two hundred steel towers carried gold, silver and copper ore down from the La Mejicana mining area. At the time it was among the longest and highest such cableways in the world. It is now a national historic monument of Argentina. Station No. 1 has been turned into a museum, where you can see original ore cars, steel towers, the machine room, old photographs and mineral samples. Guides explain the rise and fall of the mining industry. The museum is located southeast of the town centre and is reachable on foot or by taxi. Opening hours include a lunch break, so check before you go.
Opening hours
About 8:00–12:30, 15:00–19:00 (closed at lunch; check on site)
Nearby sights
- Samay Huasi Museum
- Cristo del Portezuelo
- Museo Molino de San Francisco
- Chirau Mita Botanical Garden
- Bodega La Riojana
- Chapel of Santa Clara de Asís, Los Sarmientos
- Tamberías del Inca
- Santa Florentina