Belén
A valley village founded by the Spanish in 1625, with two colonial churches, and a representative village along the Altiplano Mission Route.
Belén lies in the pre-Cordillera valleys about 30 km south of Putre, at around 3,200 metres. It was one of the earliest Spanish settlements in the Arica highlands and is known as the 'mother town of the Arica highlands'. The village has two 17th- and 18th-century stone-and-adobe churches. The Candelaria Church, restored under the Altiplano Mission Route project, is surrounded by terraces that have been in use since Inca times, and nearby are the ruins of the Vilavilani fortress. The village is quiet, with almost no tourists. Visit by car or hire a vehicle, as the road is gravel.
Opening hours
All day (church hours vary)
Nearby sights
- Socoroma
- Termas de Jurasi
- Putre
- Lauca National Park
- Las Cuevas Viewpoint
- Las Vicuñas National Reserve
- Parinacota
- Cotacotani Lakes