White domes
Like beehives.
Eduardo N. Fortes — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jorgecrescitelli — CC BY-SA 3.0 · AnitaPerez2104 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · AnitaPerez2104 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · AnitaPerez2104 — CC BY-SA 4.0
Las Bóvedas, «the Vaults», is a unique historic building near the town of Uspallata in the Mendoza mountains, built in the late eighteenth century of adobe on stone foundations in a U shape and crowned by three white pointed domes that look like giant beehives in the dry valley. It was originally a works for processing ore from the San Lorenzo mines of Uspallata, including silver. When General San Martín was preparing the Army of the Andes to cross the mountains in 1817, the vaults were used as a supply depot. Later abandoned and left in ruins, they were rescued by Raúl J. Álvarez in the 1920s and rebuilt in the 1950s. Today they hold a museum of four rooms, on Indigenous cultures, smelting, minerals and San Martín's history. Entry is free or by small contribution, with hours varying by season. It lies on the road toward Aconcagua and Puente del Inca, so it pairs easily with them.
Like beehives.
Ore and smelting.
A supply depot.
Near the town of Uspallata, Las Heras department, Mendoza
An 18th-century ore-processing works, later a supply depot for the Army of the Andes in 1817.