Salta, Provincial administrative division in northwestern Argentina.
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and serves as the capital of an administrative region of the same name. The surrounding area includes valleys, flat plains to the east, and high mountain ranges that stretch toward the Chilean border.
Spanish settlers founded the place in the late 16th century as a stopover between Peru and the Río de la Plata. The location made it a hub for trade routes through the South American interior.
The name comes from the Aymara language and refers to a rock formation in the area. Visitors see the influence in traditional markets and regional cuisine, where ingredients from the mountains combine with colonial recipes.
The city sits at roughly 1,150 meters (3,770 feet) above sea level and enjoys mild weather for much of the year. Travelers find bus connections to surrounding valleys and mountain regions, while an airport outside the center serves longer distances.
Mummies from pre-Hispanic cultures are housed in a museum outside the city center and display textiles and ceramics from the highland region. Preservation occurred naturally through the dry mountain air.
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