Alta Gracia

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Alta Gracia
—  City  —
The Jesuit Church
Alta Gracia Location of Alta Gracia in Argentina
Coordinates: 31°40′S 64°26′W / 31.667°S 64.433°W / -31.667; -64.433Coordinates: 31°40′S 64°26′W / 31.667°S 64.433°W / -31.667; -64.433
Country	Argentina
Province	Córdoba
Department	Santa María
Government
• Mayor	Mario Bonfigli (UCR)
Population
• Total	42,538
Time zone	ART (UTC-3)
CPA base	X5186
Dialing code	+54 3547

Alta Gracia is a city located in the north-centre of the province of Córdoba, Argentina. Its name means "High Grace". It is built upon the Sierras Chicas, in a region that the Comechingón Indians used to call Paravachasca. It has about 43,000 inhabitants (2001 census [INDEC]).

History

In the 17th century Alta Gracia was as a large ranch (an estancia) operated by Jesuits. Along with other ranches, including Colonia Caroya, Jesús María, Santa Catalina, La Candelaria y San Ignacio de los Ejercicios, Alta Gracia was founded to economically support the Collegium Maximum or "Colegio Máximo", one of Argentina's first universities (Universitas Cortuba Tucumanæ) today: Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, and other educational institutes that are now part of the Manzana Jesuítica ("Jesuit Block"), an important center in Córdoba City. The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba were named World Heritage site in 2000.

Owners of the Estancia Alta Gracia:

• Don Juan Nieto, 1588
• Alonso Nieto de Herrera, who named it after "Nuestra Señora de Alta Gracia"
• The Society of Jesus (donated by Alonso Nieto)
• Santiago de Liniers, 1810, who lived there for about 5 months
• José Manuel Solares, 1868 (last owner, in his will he decides to turn the Estancia to a Village, called "La Merced", giving as a gift to his employees pieces of land to raise the village, with the conditions of keeping the Tajamar and going on with the veneration of the Virgin Nuestra Señora de la Merced) That's why September 24th is the special day in alta Gracia, in honour of that Virgin.

Main sights

Sights include:

• The museum of Santiago de Liniers.
• "El Tajamar", a man-made lake.
• "El Obraje", a workshop were the Jesuits taught many Indians the different crafts.
• The Sierras Hotel, which John F. Kennedy has visited.
• A house where revolutionary Che Guevara used to live, now Museum.
• Manuel de Falla's Museum.
• Gabriel Dubois Art Museum.
• Railroad outdoor museum.
• Lourdes Virgin's Sanctuary: a replica of the original in the Pyrenees (France).
• Clock Tower: 350th Anniversary of Alta Gracia Monument, now an information office.

People

• Manuel de Falla, Spanish musician and composer, lived in Alta Gracia since 1942 till his death
• Ernesto "Che" Guevara, spent 12 yearse in Alta Gracia, from 1932 till 1944, when he moved to Buenos Aires to be a doctor. There is a Museum in the place he lived
• Enrique Larreta, writer
• Belisario Roldán, writer

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alta Gracia

• Official website (Spanish)
• Municipal information: Municipal Affairs Federal Institute (IFAM), Municipal Affairs Secretariat, Ministry of Interior, Argentina. (Spanish) (Spanish)

v t e Main cities of Córdoba Province Capital city City of Cordoba Regional Cities Rio Cuarto San Francisco Villa Carlos Paz Alta Gracia Bell Ville Villa Dolores Dean Funes Jesus Maria Laboulaye Cosquin La Falda