Cristo Redentor de los Andes

Chile and Argentina came close to war over their Andean boundary at the end of the nineteenth century, and when the dispute was settled by British arbitration in 1902 the two countries marked it by putting a monument on the watershed: a bronze Christ nearly eight metres high, cast partly from melted-down cannon, hauled up by mule and rail and unveiled in March 1904 at about 3,850 metres on the Uspallata pass. The inscription says that these mountains will fall to dust before Chileans and Argentines break the peace sworn at Christ's feet. Traffic now goes through the tunnel below; the old road to the statue is open only in summer.

What you actually see

• A bronze Christ of about eight metres - cast partly from old cannon.
• Raised in March 1904 - to mark a war settled by arbitration.
• At about 3,850 metres - on the watershed border.
• An oath in the inscription - the mountains to fall before the peace breaks.

When to go

January to March, when the old pass road above the tunnel is open. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The road to the monument is a rough switchback and open only in high summer - most of the year the statue is unreachable. Altitude, wind and cold apply even in January. There are no facilities at the top.

Nearby

Portillo is below on the Chilean side; Mendoza is over the pass.