Cachi, Argentina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cachi
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Church of Cachi and Archaeological Museum
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 Cachi
Location in Argentina
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| Country |  Argentina |
| Province |  Salta |
| Department | Cachi |
| Elevation | 2,531 m (8,304 ft) |
| Population
(2001 Census)
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| • Total | 5,254 |
| Demonym(s) | n/a |
| Time zone | UTC-3 (ART) |
| CPA base |
A4417
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| Dialing code | +54 03868 |
| Climate | BWk |
Cachi is a small and charming city located in the Salta Province of Argentina. It's the main town of the Cachi Department. This beautiful place is known for its stunning natural scenery and unique architecture.
Contents
What Does the Name "Cachi" Mean?
Many people think the name Cachi comes from the Quechua word for salt. They say it's because the snow on the nearby mountains looks like salt.
However, it's more likely that the name comes from an older language called Cacán. In Cacán, kak means stone and chi means silence. So, Cachi might mean "silent stone."
Exploring Cachi's Geography
Where is Cachi Located?
Cachi is found in the northern part of the Calchaquí Valleys in Argentina. It sits right at the base of the Nevado de Cachi mountain. This mountain protects Cachi from the west.
The Calchaquí Valleys are home to other interesting towns. These include Cafayate, La Poma, and Santa María.
Cachi's Climate and Weather
Cachi has a cold desert climate. This means it's generally dry. The weather can change quite a bit between day and night.
You can see the average temperatures and rainfall in the table below.
| Climate data for Cachi, Argentina | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 33.8 (92.8) |
34.0 (93.2) |
33.8 (92.8) |
32.8 (91.0) |
31.2 (88.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.5 (85.1) |
31.0 (87.8) |
32.2 (90.0) |
34.1 (93.4) |
34.0 (93.2) |
34.9 (94.8) |
34.9 (94.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.2 (79.2) |
25.7 (78.3) |
25.7 (78.3) |
24.1 (75.4) |
22.6 (72.7) |
21.2 (70.2) |
20.8 (69.4) |
22.1 (71.8) |
23.3 (73.9) |
25.9 (78.6) |
27.0 (80.6) |
27.1 (80.8) |
24.4 (75.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.4 (65.1) |
17.8 (64.0) |
17.0 (62.6) |
14.2 (57.6) |
11.3 (52.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.4 (52.5) |
12.5 (54.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
17.6 (63.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
14.5 (58.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.8 (53.2) |
11.0 (51.8) |
9.7 (49.5) |
5.0 (41.0) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
0.8 (33.4) |
2.2 (36.0) |
5.7 (42.3) |
8.7 (47.7) |
10.8 (51.4) |
5.4 (41.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5.0 (41.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 67.1 (2.64) |
34.5 (1.36) |
14.5 (0.57) |
2.3 (0.09) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.3 (0.05) |
0.1 (0.00) |
0.5 (0.02) |
0.4 (0.02) |
2.9 (0.11) |
3.3 (0.13) |
28.4 (1.12) |
155.2 (6.11) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 62 | 62 | 61 | 55 | 44 | 36 | 35 | 39 | 41 | 46 | 50 | 55 | 49 |
| Source: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria | |||||||||||||
Population Growth in Cachi
In 2001, Cachi had 5,254 people living there. This was a big increase of over 17% since 1991.
Two main reasons caused this growth. First, many babies were born in the area. Second, people moved to Cachi from other cities. These cities included Salta, Tucumán, and Buenos Aires.
Things to See and Do in Cachi
Cachi is surrounded by amazing snow-covered mountains. Some of these mountains are as tall as 5,000 meters (about 16,400 feet)! The weather is usually mild, and the sky is often clear. This makes Cachi a great place for mountain climbing.
Unique Architecture
The buildings in Cachi have a special style. They are mostly in the old colonial Spanish style. Many homes are made of adobe (a type of mud brick). They are painted white and built on strong rock foundations. You can also see old iron window grills.
The Church of Cachi
In the main town square, you'll find the Church of Cachi. This church is a very important National Historical Monument. It was first built in the 1500s. The outside of the church was rebuilt in the 1800s.
What makes it really special? Its beams, altars, and confession booths are all carved from cactus wood! This wood comes from the Echinopsis atacamensis cactus.
Pío Pablo Díaz Archaeological Museum
Right in front of the town square is the Pío Pablo Díaz Archaeological Museum. This museum has more than 5,000 ancient items. These items show history from 10,000 years ago up to the 1600s.
You can see many ancient pictographs (rock paintings) here. The museum staff knows a lot about them. They can even tell you about similar pictographs found around the world.
Ancient Ruins and Vineyards
About 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Cachi, you can visit the important ruins of Puerta de La Paya. These ruins offer a glimpse into the past.
Cachi is also home to a very special vineyard. It's called Finca Altura Máxima. This vineyard is the highest commercial vineyard in the world! It sits at 3,111 meters (about 10,200 feet) above sea level. It belongs to a company called Bodega Colomé.
See also
In Spanish: Cachi (localidad) para niños
