Shincal, Ancient Inca settlement near Belén, Argentina.

Shincal is a pre-Columbian Inca city covering about 30 hectares near Londres, Catamarca. Its orthogonal layout centers on a walled plaza, the aukaipata, with a quadrangular ushnu platform; around it stand five kallankas, kancha residential compounds, and over fifty qolqas. The Qhapaq Ñan crosses north to south west of the plaza, and two terraced hills about 25 m high flank it.

The settlement was established in the 1400s and became an important Inca administrative center in their southern frontier region. It remained occupied until the Spanish conquest in the mid-1500s.

The walled main square, or aukaipata, holds the ushnu, a square ceremonial platform at its centre. Around it stand kallankas, rectangular halls used for political, administrative and ceremonial activities, and kancha compounds; the Casa del Curaca, west of the plaza, housed local rulers. The name Shincal is also written Chincal or Chincha, and the site is reached from the town of Londres.

El Shincal lies at 1,240 metres near Londres, in Belén Department, Catamarca. The Qhapaq Ñan crosses the site north to south on the west side of the plaza, and stone steps lead up the two flattened hills flanking it. The ground is uneven and the ruins are unprotected by roofs, so wear sturdy shoes and carry water.

The two hills flanking the plaza are not natural mounds: their tops were flattened and walled with stone to a height of about 2 metres, and stone steps lead up to them. A gnomon or intihuatana on the Cerro del Intihuatana served for solar observations.