How did Talampaya National Park become a World Heritage Site?

In 1893, geologist Alfrid Stasmed was the discoverer of the Talampaya fields; however, over 70 years had to go by before Dr. Joaquin Frenguelli could, in the 40's, catch the attention of geologists and paleontologists around the world with his priceless discoveries.

Animal and plant fossils, as well as the analyzed geological layers, date back as far as the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era, some 225 million years ago, when reptiles owned these lands.

The formation of the Andes mountain range that occurred 60 million years ago uplifted this particular scenery, made up of compact clays and a visible iron oxide that causes the walls to appear reddish in this area.

This ecosystem is one of the few places on earth where all the different layers of the soil, as well as the processes of plate tectonic movement, are clearly exposed.

The word “Talampaya” has several meanings, but most authors agree on “tala’s dry river” as the best definition.

The Province government of La Rioja created "Talampaya Province Park" in 1975, and in 1997 a law was passed to grant all the park rights to National Parks Administration, in order to make it a National Park.

Most recently, on November 29, 2000, it was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO.