SOLDIER'S LEAP:
The sad days of October 1814 left behind, the Villa Santa Rosa de Los Andes turned their quiet world, after hours of agonizing hurting Patria Vieja. Neighbors commented secretly tragedies and achievements of the patriots who had witnessed them casually.
After several months, began arriving in the village news brought by the cowboys who narrated the ordeal endured by the natives in a desperate escape to Argentina, among those reportedly came up with the legendary journey of a brave and unknown Chilean soldier.
The version is born from the struggle between Spanish and Creole sustained on the slopes of papers near the place where the legend originates.
The site is on the road Los Andes to Mendoza in the field of blue where the rocky landscape is transformed into a kind of throat hills, which runs the road and the river, much more down the road.
Looking down the road you can see a deep canyon of high cliffs with the river bottom, the separation distance seems very small, but the closer you can see that the jump is quite considerably from one side to another.
Legend has it that when the remains of the Chilean army undertook the flight to Mendoza, many created the soldiers resistance against the Spanish Army, to give time to his other teammates to cross the mountains and were not hit by enemy troops who followed a short away The Spanish army had passed with strong slope of Chacabuco and arriving at the Villa Santa Rosa, headed for the mountains chasing the Patriots. General Career Soldiers took cover on the side of Papers to put up stiff resistance to his persecutors but mounted the Spanish forces fell on the patriots Quintanilla resulting in an unequal and bloody fight, which the natives resisted for long hours.
Finally, because of the siege of the enemy and it decreased its forces retreated through the mountains for Argentina. But a Chilean recruits were late boldly, looking suddenly very close to the Spanish, to find out which came out in the lonely pursuit and brave soldier started to run quickly along the path determined to escape his pursuers tenacious unusually quickly ran and ran the desire to join his comrades gave him more strength and speed. In its swift flight he saw a cliff, seeing that his pursuers were close to him and turned in an extraordinary effort jumped and ran into the abyss. The Spanish who were on horseback were astonished at the feat of the soldier and awed by the breadth of the cliff did not dare to jump with their horses.
The stranger and brave soldier managed to continue his flight and was later able to join the rest of their compatriots across the mountain, after an amazing escape.
The site currently retains the legendary name of Salto del Soldado and is very popular with travelers in and out of Chile.
PRIEST’S CROSS:
The current town of San Esteban in the province of Los Andes, was known to the ancient inhabitants of the area as Aconcagua, coinciding also with its location in the upper valley of that name. His whimsical geography includes a large expanse of land with a considerable amount of Andean mountains and drawers.
The village in the late nineteenth century, had little more than a thousand inhabitants, its neighbors were very Catholic, and thus had a chapel and a priest in charge of it.
The priest, concerned about their parishioners, suffered the poverty of many local people and often got them food and clothing to alleviate the lives of those faithful who never missed his Sunday mass.
The priest used to tell the parishioners for his efforts to get resources to help those in need. Once, once the mass, a mule driver approached him to tell him that if he could find a mine, would end their troubles and concerns and in the mountains, into the town of San Francisco near the Nevados de San Stephen, had heard about the existence of rich mineral, which could only be discovered by a person of good heart and no personal ambitions.
The priest realized that he met those conditions, since the wealth he wanted to help the poorest, because his noble heart and it showed.
One day the Padre, as the locals call it, decided to go in search of ore. Her great faith, trust and kindness enabled him soon to find a small gold mine in the place he had indicated the driver.
Time passed and it had become common father figure, accompanied by his clerk to the mountain road to get gold. Two miles before reaching the mine, the priest left his companion in a safe place to wait, then he should not reveal to anyone the location of the mine, otherwise it's lost forever.
One cold autumn afternoon, when the priest returned with the precious metal, a heavy storm broke out in the mountains and the white wind began to cover everything completely lost visibility. The storm had begun with unusual fury, the priest could only shelter from the wind and cold under a large rock, but the storm lasted for over two days and the kindly priest froze in place, while the sexton was never located.
The customers appreciate the favors and kindnesses received from my dear, set up a cross of iron in the place that had died. Today the hill is known as the Cross of the Father, the mine will be placed only when a person of good heart, spirit of solidarity and achieve personal ambitions without finding it.
THE LION'S DEN:
Before the founding of the Andes, the area was inhabited by Aborigines who obeyed the orders of Chief Michimalonco, the place was considered very strategic, the ancient Inca Trail also passed through the valley of the Andes. The closest mountains to the plains were used as lookouts, forts and places to lookouts, were prominent in the head of the fertile valley of the hills Merchacas, Paidahuén, Tabcalan and Quicalcura latter was called by the Spanish as the hill of standing stones and the river which bathed the valley was known as the great river. Quicalcura is on the hill, on its southern slope, where the lion's den.
Account of this legend, in ancient times, the earliest inhabitants built a large cave, which would serve as a tunnel to cross the mountains in winter and as a refuge from the dangers that could be seen exposed by invaders.
The mountain lion was the main entrance road to the mountains and ending in the Argentine side, it was a secret path, few knew him and were less those who dared to use it. He had the advantage of being shorter, therefore, travel from one to the other side of the mountain takes only about six hours, but it was dangerous especially for its dark and the animals that inhabit it, especially lions. Only the most experienced carriers of the area knew the route, one of them was the skilled person Justo Estay, who helped the Liberation Army of the Andes to cross the mountains several times and it is said, would have used it several times, but without revealing the secret.
Also before the Independence of Chile, a popular Catholic priest born in Mendoza, knew the route once a month and used it to come on Sunday to say Mass at Villa Santa Rosa and then return to Argentina.
When the valley became more populated, who knew that secret route decided to close in several installments, because it had parts that were open and others through tunnels, caves appeared. In its first stage, corresponding to the hill of the standing stones, they decided to cover it up before reaching his departure was in front of the hill or mountain Mercachas the table.
Time passed and the first part of the secret path, became a cave, the lions began to use as a hideout. When curious locals once dared to enter it, leaving no more because they were devoured by the fierce animals.
Today, although there are no lions in the area, no one dares to enter it for the spirits of those who fell prey to the cats lived inside and who enters into it, it becomes more a spirit of place.
THE CHAIR OF SAN MARTIN:
During the struggle for national independence, the most important Chilean and Argentine heroes often arrived with its plans to release the Villa Santa Rosa de Los Andes. General Jose de San Martin was one of them. Travel to Chile this important Argentine military were multiple, even stood up after achieving the independence of Chile.
The residents of Santa Rosa, very well attended and there were patriots families who made friends with them, so it was that General San Martin won the affection of a respectable family of the town, which the hero was his guest whenever coming to Chile.
The family was well known by locals, because his house, located at the top of the Villa was very large and attractive as well as being very popular with the patriots who came on a mission of war. Don Pascual, the head of his family, living on livestock and lease mules to travel through the Andes.
His well-off had allowed him to have his house finely furnished, many of their belongings had acquired in Europe. Among them stood a beautiful and comfortable rocking chair with Mr. Spencer brought his first trip to France.
The beautiful chair from the beginning called the attention of General San Martin, for that, just came home from his friend Pascual first thing he did after his exhausting trip across the mountains, was sit back and relax in the comfortable armchair French.
The work and effort paid off and the country was finally released, but the General San Martin continued to travel to Chile, and loving every time he did his friend's chair Pascual, now watched as bone saint, because he was the chair of the Liberator.
Years passed, and Mr. Spencer received the sad news of the death of General San Martin, since he allowed no one to sit on the couch in her friend so loved and remembered.
One day at midnight Pascual felt noises in his living room, drew near to see what was happening, he felt a few steps into the room and found no one, but mysteriously the chair was rocking himself, rattling floorboards as if someone was sitting on it.
Don Pascual said what happened to his family at first did not believe him, but the phenomenon began to repeat often and almost every day at midnight the chair began to rock him. Don Pascual had the bad idea of telling what happened to a friend and soon the news was known in the village.
One day a friend was curious to visit Don Pascual and wanted to sit on the couch, but Mr. Spencer was strongly opposed, because no one should do according to the spirit and the General would be angry, however, the friend ignored warning and neglect Pascual first sat on the couch, barely made a loud noise shook the house and all was darkness, pulling out of fear friend, and nobody understood what happened.
The next day Mr. Spencer noted with astonishment that the chair was not in the room, he had mysteriously disappeared and the family had no explanation for this strange event, until shortly after the friend told Mr. Spencer asked what happened and forgiveness, because his reckless spirit of the General was angry carrying the mysterious chair.
Soon after, a frightened neighbor arrived with the news he had seen the chair of St. Martin in the top of the hill at the foot of the village, but had not dared to touch it. Pascual immediately with two trusted employees went to the hill in search of the chair and had to drive home, then installed it in a special room and very protected, which also stores the precious memories he had of his friend, General St. Martin.
Years passed and the family of Don Pascual got used to feel every night the sound of loud rocking chair in the quiet night.
On the death of Don Pascual rocked the chair is not over until a full moon night, a gentle breeze was felt in the house and the silhouette of General San Martin sat on the couch and disappeared with him forever.
Some former residents of Los Andes, reported seeing the figure of General San Martin sitting on the couch, on top of the hill Quicalcura.
THE GOLDEN PITCHER AT THE FUNDO HIGUERAL:
The beliefs of the Andean countryside, which are many are populated by supernatural beings as well as what actual mixed with the customs and traditions are rich with the smell of land legendary gestated in a time when the hours turned to the rhythm of nature. Quite naturally live in the stories of living beings and the spirits, the devil and the greed, history and heroes, land and hidden treasures.
Burials are the legendary tales of common country people who ensure they are real and says many landowners owe their wealth to the discovery of a valuable burial. There are burials made by the Patriots before he fled to Mendoza by the disaster of Rancagua, those left by the Spanish after defeats at Chacabuco and Maipú and burials of people of old who hid their treasures in jars that were buried without telling no taking when he died, the secret to the grave.
The discovery of a peasant funeral originated the legend of the "Golden Pitcher Fundo El Higueral," which account for many years in the hamlet of Higueral in Villa San Esteban, a violent storm arose that scared the locals because force never before seen this phenomenon, which was felt with thunder, lightning, strong wind and heavy rain that seemed never to end. Because of the large amount of rainfall, the fields are transformed into real rivers and estuaries the water overflowed. After the storm, the patterns came to visit their estates together with tenants and overseers.
A well-known and respected farmer, the estate owner Higueral, accompanied by his faithful foreman ran scared riding horse paddocks. The inspection tour had come to the land where they bind to the hills. In undertaking the return, the foreman, had gone along the ridge, between mud and rocks was a beautiful clay pitcher. Surprised called his employer, without getting out of the horse, to show their discovery.
The employer approached the pitcher and getting off the horse looked at him, seeing in it had shiny gold coins. Without hesitation he told his foreman that he had buried the coins for which they are not stolen, and immediately sent for a bag to carry the precious cargo.
Years passed. The estate owner luxuriously enjoyed life with family and friends thanks to their immense wealth to become old suffering from a serious illness.
Repentant, he called his noble foreman to confess that the pitcher with gold, found after a terrible time and forgotten, it was his property and in return would buy a house and five blocks of land that the foreman had to locate.
When the farmer found the house and land went to his patroncito wanted to charge the word, but the boss had taken him seriously Santiago, to be seen by a specialist.
Surprised the worker, he managed as he could and went to the capital in search of those who depended on their future. Arriving in Santiago, the patron of children not allowed speaking with him. A few days after the millionaire farmer died and the foreman unfortunate possibility of having missed the entire house and land ownership.
OFFICIAL HYMN
The Official Anthem of the city of Los Andes is words and music by Avelino Curaqueo Epuñan.
In the Andes you written your name
You looking for sky and sun
And snow and the fruits sway
To the beat of this beautiful song
Link to South America
Wide door of the fraternity
Trade, tourism and mineral
On this fertile valley van
Los Andes, Los Andes Condor
You write your name immortal
And the Santa Teresa de Chile
It invites us to love and peace.
