Samay Huasi facts for kids
Samay Huasi is a special place in Argentina. Its name comes from the Quechua language and means "rest house." It's a historic property that works as both a peaceful vacation spot and an interesting museum.
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Discovering Samay Huasi: A Historic Place
Samay Huasi is located in Chilecito. This town is high up in the Pampas Sierras mountains of La Rioja Province. The property first belonged to William Treloar. He was a British mining engineer. Mr. Treloar bought it in the late 1800s to enjoy his retirement.
He knew Dr. Joaquín V. González. Dr. González was a very important lawyer for mining laws. He was also the Governor of La Rioja from 1889 to 1891. When Mr. Treloar passed away, he left his beautiful property, called La Carrera, to his friend Dr. González. Dr. González received the 17-hectare (about 42-acre) property in 1913.
From Private Home to University Retreat
Dr. González kept the vineyards and orchards that were already there. He made the living areas bigger. He also turned the old horse stables into ten bedrooms. Each of his sons had their own room! He renamed the property Samay Huasi.
Dr. González was also the president of the University of La Plata from 1905 to 1913. When he passed away in 1923, he left Samay Huasi to the university.
The University of La Plata officially took over Samay Huasi in 1941. At first, it was a vacation place for artists and writers. It was called the Casa de Descanso para Artistas y Escritores. Later, it became a lodge just for university staff.
Samay Huasi: A Museum and Art Gallery
In 1960, a part of Samay Huasi became a museum. This museum shows Dr. González's collections. You can see items related to people and cultures (anthropology). There are also rocks and minerals (geology). The museum also displays his many writings. He wrote over 50 books and 1,000 articles!
The museum is called Mis Montañas. This name honors a book Dr. González wrote in 1903. That book described the nearby Talampaya area and other parts of the Andes mountains.
Samay Huasi also has an art gallery. It's called the Antonio Alice Pinacotheca. This gallery is named after Antonio Alice. He was an Argentine painter known for portraits and historical scenes. He painted a portrait of Dr. González in 1917. The gallery shows art from many different Argentine painters.
See also
- In Spanish: Samay Huasi para niños
