Quitor, San Pedro de Atacama

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Cerca del Pukará de Quitor hay una pequeña cueva y en la parte de fuera se han tallado dos gigantescas caras de piedra en memoria de los caciques que fueron decapitados por Francisco de Aguirre
Near the Pukara de Quitor there is an small cave and in the external part of it there are two huge stone heads carved on the rock in memory of the caciques that were beheaded by Francisco de Aguirre

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Sobre el cerro de Quitor se construyó el Pukará (Fuerte) incaico en el siglo XII para defenderse de los Aymaras .
Está hecho de piedras y cubre todo el cerro con un muro perimetral y tiene almacenes , zonas de vivienda y de defensa
En el siglo XVI , los españoles después de tomar el Pukará en una dura batalla cortaron las cabezas de seis de los caciques locales , los expusieron en el cerro y de ahí le viene el nombre
Se puede llegar caminado desde San Pedro.
Las vistas del desierto son espectaculares
On the Quitor hill they built the Inca Pukará ( Fortress) in the XII century as a defense of the Aymara attacks
It is made of stones and covers the hill with a perimeter wall and it has stores , living and defense areas
In the XVI century , the Spaniards after taken the Pukará in a hard battle cut the head of six local caciques and they exposed in the hill and this is the reason of the name
You may walk from San Pedro
The dessert views are spectaculars

Quitor's Pukara was a former fortress incaica that in 1540 was occupied by the Spanish. This one was built in the 12th century, with a strategic location in the hillside of a hill and defended by a ravine on the river.
It is one interesting place to visit, it is possible to arrived to the place in bicycle or walking because Quitor is located to 3 km from San pedro de Atacama. The approach road is easy but it is necessary to go with comfortable clothes to be able to rise up to Quitor's ruins. The view from the ruins is fantastic.