El Mollar

El Mollar is a village of stone houses at the southern end of the Tafí valley, beside the La Angostura reservoir, and its reason for being on any itinerary is the Reserva Arqueológica Los Menhires. Here more than a hundred carved standing stones, some over two metres tall, are gathered in a park: granite monoliths worked by the Tafí culture from around two thousand years ago, incised with faces, animals and abstract patterns whose meaning is still debated. They were moved here from their original positions in the fields around the valley during the twentieth century, a decision that preserved them from damage but stripped away their landscape context, and which remains controversial. The setting is open and green, with mountains rising behind and the reservoir below.

What you actually see

• The menhir park - over a hundred carved standing stones gathered in one field.
• The carvings - incised faces, animals and patterns on granite.
• La Angostura reservoir - the lake below the village with mountain backdrop.
• The village - a quiet grid of stone houses and craft stalls.

When to go

April to November for clear weather; the park is open air and exposed to sun and wind. Summer weekends bring holiday crowds from Tucumán. Mornings are calmest, and the light on the carvings is better early or late.

Honest expectations

The stones were relocated from their original sites, so archaeologists and some visitors find the display artificial. The park is modest and the visit short. There is little else in the village beyond craft stalls and a few places to eat.

Nearby

Tafí del Valle is a short drive north; the road continues west toward Amaicha and the Calchaquí Valleys.