Discover Cerro Negro

Ochre-colored landscapes and distinctive adobe buildings give Cerro Negro a character all its own. The town is associated with two very different ways to explore: the Ruta del Adobe, and religious sites and festivals. There is also a specific historical landmark in the townscape: the Iglesia de San Buenaventura dates back to 1847.

Cerro Negro on the Ruta del Adobe

The Ruta del Adobe is an approximately 112-kilometer section of Ruta Nacional 60 in Tinogasta Department, Catamarca Province. It begins in Cerro Negro, ends in Fiambalá, and includes adjacent areas.

In and around Cerro Negro, the historical landscape typical of the Ruta del Adobe can be seen in its ochre palette and distinctive adobe buildings. Those interested in this route can also get to know the town through its special connection to the landscape and adobe architecture.

Church and religious sites

One specific link to the town’s history is the Iglesia de San Buenaventura, built in 1847. It is also a destination on the Ruta de la Fe 2 in La Plaza Cerro Negro. This makes the church interesting to visitors who want to take in religious sites and historic buildings as well as the landscape during their trip. The year and its designation as a destination on the Ruta de la Fe 2 provide two different points of reference: the building’s history and its role within a religious route.

The second stage of the Ruta de la Fe runs from the town of El Salado to the town of Cerro Negro. Five easily accessible, well-preserved buildings are visited along this stage.

Patronal festivals in Cerro Negro

The patronal festivals are also part of the town’s religious character. The Cristo de Vinques patronal festival takes place during Holy Week. San Buenaventura is celebrated on July 15, and San Roque on August 16. The three occasions therefore fall at different times of the year. If you are interested in local traditions, the festival names and dates provide specific themes to guide your exploration of Cerro Negro.

The church, the Ruta de la Fe, and the patronal festivals each have their own focus: the Iglesia de San Buenaventura is a specific historic building, the Ruta de la Fe stage covers a section between two towns, and the patronal festivals are associated with specific occasions and dates. These differences can help you choose the cultural focus of your trip more precisely, rather than treating the various connections as a single experience.

Getting there and historical context

Cerro Negro is on Ruta Nacional 60, a few kilometers from the junction with Ruta Nacional 40. This is a useful point of reference when situating the town within your trip through Tinogasta Department. The approximately 112-kilometer Ruta del Adobe to Fiambalá also follows Ruta Nacional 60. When choosing where to stay, you can first consider whether you want to focus mainly on Cerro Negro itself, the Ruta del Adobe, or the religious sites.

The town’s transport history includes a former rail connection: freight trains on the Ferrocarril General Belgrano passed through Cerro Negro until the 1970s. This historical information adds a different perspective on the town’s connections to transport routes to today’s orientation by national highways. It describes a past use; the freight trains are not an indication of current rail service.

Discover more places

More destination pages: Coneta, La Merced, Las Mojarras, San Fernando Del Valle De Catamarca, Tinogasta.

For the broader travel overview: Catamarca.