A Tour around the City of Malargüe

A city with the soul of a town, Malargüe is characterized by the quietness of its streets and the warmth of its people. Touring around it and seeing the most important attractions of this mountain range settlement is very easy and amusing.
The city is crossed by mythical Route 40 from North to South. Inside the city, it is known as San Martín Avenue.

The first thing to observe when entering the city from this direction is the modern building of the Tourist Office on the right, where visitors may get information about the local attractions and accommodation options.

The Malargüe Regional Museum stands next to this building. It includes a wide range of themes in which Paleontology, Archeology, Mining and History stand out. It shows the various stages the city has gone through.
The Conventions Center construction stands behind the Tourist Office and the Regional Museum. This building was specially thought for the development of congresses of all kinds and levels of importance. We recommend visiting it.

The handicrafts market known as “Mi viejo almacén” (My old grocer’s shop) is located in the street, in a wing of what used to be estancia La Orteguina and it offers a great deal of regional items.
The access to the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory, which opens everyday at 5pm to offer a unique guided tour may be seen opposite these buildings.

Back on San Martín Avenue towards the South, there lies Parque del Ayer (Yesterday’s Park). Ancient woodlands made up by cedar trees, tujas, cypresses and pine trees invite visitors to enjoy its shades and the contact with nature.

Farther ahead, always following the same artery, there appears the Rufino Ortega Mill Historical Monument, built in 1876 to process the wheat grown in the region. Its importance lies in the fact that it was one of the first hydraulic mills in Argentina. Its adobe walls and its wooden roof take us on a journey back in time.

The “Welcoming Christ” may be observed on the San Martín Avenue promenade. This sculpture welcomes visitors to Malargüe with its open arms.

The itinerary continues as we get past San Martín Square. This green space was specially designed and built to highlight the attractions of Malargüe. Its center simulates the crater of a volcano, evocating the Puyún Matru, in La Payunia. One ornamental fountain on its side is reminiscent of the Pozo de las Ánimas (The Well of Souls).

The rocks scattered all around the square makes reference to Corrales de Piedra (Rock Pens) and the cascades and rivers that flow inside the venue represent the Manqui Malal Cascades. A playground for children, benches and vantage points complete this beautiful city corner. It is important to point out that the square shelters a statement of the people and the government of Malargüe, which was buried on November 16, 2000 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the department. Dreams and hopes have been included in this statement, which will be opened again in 2025. An event to include in our agenda!

The Municipal Intendancy lies opposite the main square and on the corner we can see Ntra. Sra. Del Rosario chapel, the first one in Malargüe. It was founded in 1887 by request of the settlers who wished to formalize weddings and baptisms on Argentinian soil.

On the corner of San Martín Avenue and Gral. Roca Avenue, we come across another city icon as we watch the Fiftieth Anniversary Tower. This 17-meter-high structure contains a clock weighing 550 kilos on its top. The clock was made in Mexico and includes 4 faces featuring a 144-centimeter diameter each and a central mechanism that makes them work simultaneously. This tower was inaugurated on November 16, 2000 and, as indicated by its name, it commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the city.

Finally, on the way out of the city, where San Martín Avenue is referred to as Route 40 once again, there lies the Monumento al Criancero (Migrating Shepherd’s Monument) on Plazoleta de la Paz. This work by artist Luis Quesada is a mural of glazed flagstones that pays tribute to the shepherds, field workers and camp tenders that have worked so hard for the development of this little great city.
This is the way the sightseeing tour around Malargüe comes to an end.