Alta Gracia is a city located in the north-centre of the province of Córdoba, Argentina. Its name means "High Grace". It is built upon the Sierras Chicas, in a region that the Comechingón Indians used to call Paravachasca. It has about 43,000 inhabitants.

History

In the 17th century, Alta Gracia was a large ranch (an estancia) operated by Jesuits. It had been first owned in 1588 by Don Juan Nieto who began the colonization of the area. Under the terms of his encomienda, Nieto began promoting the building of houses, ranches and stone pens. The Jesuits used Alta Gracia, along with other ranches, including Colonia Caroya, Jesús María, Santa Catalina, La Candelaria, and San Ignacio de los Ejercicios, to support the Collegium Maximum or "Colegio Máximo", one of Argentina's first universities (Universitas Cortuba Tucumanæ) today: Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Together with other educational institutes, it is now part of the Manzana Jesuítica ("Jesuit Block"), an important center in Córdoba City. The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba were named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Owners of the Estancia Alta Gracia:

Main sights

Sights include:

Notable people

Gallery

Sources