Background

The first Spanish expedition, led by Diego de Almagro from Cuzco (Peru), entered Argentina in 1536 and soon a busy trade route was established through the Quebrada de Humahuaca (now Jujuy). Along this route the Spanish founded a group of towns: Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy. Throughout the colonial period these were the centres of white settlement and encomiendaswere established to subdue the indigenous population. Jesuit and Franciscan missions were also attempted, but resistance was fierce, especially in the Calchaquí and Humahuaca valleys and, as a result, this is one of the few areas in Argentina, which retains a rich indigenous culture.

The city of Salta was founded in 1582 and became one of the viceroyalty's most important administrative centres, governing a wide area, and gaining considerable wealth from the fertile outlying areas. The city also had an important role in the Wars of Independence between 1810 and 1821, when General Güemes led gaucho anti-Royalist forces to victory, utilizing their detailed knowledge of the terrain and inventing the now famous red poncho which his men wore. Through the 19th century, Salta suffered a decline, since trade went directly to the country's new capital, Buenos Aires. Relatively little immigration and expansion allowed the city's colonial buildings to survive, boosted by neo-colonial architecture in the 1930s when there was a large influx of newcomers. Today, Salta retains its old aristocratic upper class population, but has a more affluent middle class than its neighbour, Jujuy. Tourism has taken off since devaluation in 2002, and is now the province's main source of income.