Friar Mamerto Esquiú´s Natal Home

Located in the town of Piedra Blanca 14km. away from San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca on provincial route No. 1
Cultural Center Tel. No. 0833-92003
Open every day from 7a.m. to 8p.m.

This is the house where Friar Mamerto Esquiú was born. It stands facing the Church of St. Anthony and was declared a National Historic Monument. The house has three rooms all of which have entrances facing the west. Parts of the house have been preserved in their original state, namely, the floor all the stone masonry which in some places is between 90cm. and 1m. thick, all the woodwork, i.e., doors and windows, and the reed roof. Upon entering one comes across a shrine inaugurated in 1941 to protect the house. The font where he was baptized can be found in the Chapel of Our Lord of Miracles . A distaff and a wheel used by Esquiú´s mother are on exhibition in the house. There is also a replica of the painting of Esquiú that hangs in the Hall of Lost Steps in the Congress building in Buenos Aires. The bed that belonged to his parents still remains. It is of Spanish origin and can be disassembled.

San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca
The capital of the province is located 1,145km. away from the city of Buenos Aires and 520m. above sea level. To get to this city from Buenos Aires one must take national route No. 9 up to Córdoba and then carry on down national route No. 60. The city is definitely colonial in style and its main attractions are its temples and convents, the most outstanding of which is the convent of San Francisco. The site known as Cuesta del Portezuelo is very near the city and offers a panoramic view of the entire valley.