NATIONAL PARK

History

How did Talampaya National Park become a World Heritage Site?

The Campo de Talampaya Depression was discovered by Geologist Alfrid Stasmed, in 1893.

Over 70 years later, Dr. Joaquin Frenguelli was able to shed new light on the discoveries, providing important information attracting the attention of geologists and palaeontologists around the world.

Animal and plant fossils, as well as the analyzed geological layers, date back as far as the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era, some 225 million years ago, when reptiles owned these lands.

The processes that led to the formation of the Andes mountain range, 60 million years ago, forced this particular morphology to emerge and are responsible for its current composition: compact clays and sandstone. The presence of iron oxide is also visible, as it is the main cause of the reddish colour that covers the walls in this area.

This ecosystem is one of the few places on earth where all the different layers of the soil, as well as the processes of plate tectonic movement, are clearly exposed.

The word “Talampaya” has several meanings, but most authors agree on “tala’s dry river” as the best definition.

The Province government of La Rioja created “Talampaya Province Park” in 1975, and in 1997 a law was passed to grant all the park rights to National Parks Administration, in order to declare it a National Park.

Most recently, on November 29, 2000, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.