- Address: Calama, Antofagasta, Chile.
The state of Chile is becoming more popular with domestic tourists every year. And this is not surprising, because this country really has something to offer to travelers: a starfall in the most arid desert of the Atacama world, huge thousand-year glaciers, mysterious forests and lakes located at the foot of massive volcanoes. Today we will tell about one of the most interesting sights of Chile - the Lazanskaya fortress (Pukará de Lasana), around which amazing myths and legends are composed.
What is interesting about the Lazanskaya fortress?
The village of Lazana, in the vicinity of which is the fortress of the same name, is a small village 40 km north-east of the city of Kalama . It should be noted that rest in this inconspicuous, at first glance, place is very popular with tourists, in particular due to the calm and peaceful atmosphere that reigns here.
The main attraction of the village is the fortress of the same name, built during the pre-Columbian civilizations in the 12th century. Unfortunately, to this day only the remnants of the once majestic fort were preserved. According to the researchers, the Lazanskaya fortress was designed for about 500 people.
All buildings can be conditionally divided into 2 types: apartment houses and bunkers for storage of food products. To build the fort only materials available in this region were used. For example, mortar for masonry consisted of untreated rubble and clay, and for the production of roofs, algarrobo (or cactus) and clay were used. Curious and the layout of the fortress: all the roads in the territory of Pukará de Lasana were made in the form of a serpentine to prevent the rapid penetration of enemy troops.
Despite the fact that the Lazan Fortress has long been not used for its intended purpose, this place is still of great importance for the history and culture of Chile. This is confirmed by the awarding of the fort status of the national monument in 1982.
Useful information for tourists
You can reach the fortress of Lazan in several ways:- By plane from Santiago to Calama, where for an insignificant price you can rent a car for a day and drive to your destination.
- By bus from the capital to Kalama or Chuquisamata. This mode of travel is much cheaper, but it takes more time. Despite this, many tourists choose it, because the area of Antofagasta, in which the fortress is located, is unusually picturesque, and the spent hours fly by unnoticed.
- As part of the excursion group. The starting point is still Santiago . From the main bus station of the capital every week, a bus goes to the village of Lazana. You can order a tour in any agency of the city.
When planning a trip, keep in mind that the fort is in a desert, which is characterized by sharp temperature fluctuations. So, in the daytime the thermometer can reach +24 ° C, and in the evening drop to +17 ° C, so experienced guides advise all guests to take warm things with them.