Aiquina
Located 74 km east of Calama, and 20 km from Caspana, at an altitude of 2,980 meters, this is considered the most beautiful town in the region. It is built completely of stone, with mud and straw roofs.The houses are grouped around the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and from here you can get up to a viewpoint at the top of a cliff. The religious festivities in honor of the Virgen de Guadalupe take place on September 7th and 8th every year when crowds of up to 12,000 persons assemble. In the past, the inhabitants devoted their efforts to grazing llamas and sheep. They also cultivated maize and alfalfa in the narrow valley of the Río Salado.Iglesia Nuestra Señora de GuadalupeThe church of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is filled with life every year on September 7th and 8th, for the celebration in honor of the Virgin. Of particular interest are the colorful, extravagant costumes worn by the dancers.It is completely surrounded by walls and was built from stone covered in red stucco. It is a rectangular building, and has a tower with five levels.
