Page 240 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

PB  ARGENTINA REGION B Y REGION
238  ARGENTINA REGION B Y REGION

o Centro
Paleontológico
Lago Barreales
Road map B3. 40 miles (65 km) N of
Neuquén. @ to Añelo, then taxi.
n(0299) 154-182295 . Open daily.
8 prior arrangement only.
∑ proyectodino.com.ar
Situated on the northern shore
Contemporary Argentinian paintings at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes of Lago Barreales, Centro
Paleontológico Lago Barreales
i Neuquén the length of the park, but now is the largest paleontological
largely in disuse, is the city’s excavation site in Argentina. It is
Road map B4. 345 miles (557 km) NW
of Viedma. * 300,000. k @ from railroad line. Housed in the also the only one of its kind in
Viedma. n Félix San Martín 182, line’s old accommo dation South America open to visitors
(0299) 442-4089. ( Sat & Sun. building is Museo Paraje all year round. Born out of an
_ Aniversario de la Ciudad Neuquén Confluencia, with displays initial excavation in 2001, the
(Sep), Feria Artesanos (Nov). on the history of Neuquén. site has a remote location which
∑ neuquentur.gob.ar In the renovated cargo makes it difficult to get to, but
warehouse nearby is those that make the effort are
Patagonia’s commercial hub, the Sala de Arte Emilio well rewarded.
Neuquén is the capital of the Saraco, with temporary The activities at the site
province of the same name. exhibitions by range from a short yet infor-
It was a center for the Argentinian artists. mative guided tour to a two-
region’s wool and leather day stay at the center during
indus try, and its location Environs which visitors work alongside
at the confluence of Río About 31 miles (50 km) helpful site technicians and
Limay and Río Neuquén north of the town, paleontologists in the extrac-
made it an important in San Patricio del tion, preparation, and restora-
agricultural center in Chañar, are several tion of dinosaur fossils. The
the otherwise arid vineyards that have accommodation offered is
province. The arrival of Sculpture by Alfredo raised the profile of rustic, but personalized service
the railroad in the early Bigatti, MNBA Patagonian wine- is emphasized with only four
1900s further benefited the making. Bodega del Fin del visitors permitted to stay at
town and the discovery of oil Mundo runs guided tours daily. any one time.
in the region in the 1960s Archaeological discoveries at
and the develop ment of a E Museo Nacional de Bellas the site, which so far number
hydroelectric indus try in the Artes (MNBA) over a staggering 1,000
1990s led to rapid growth. Mitre & Santa Cruz, Parque Central. vertebral fossils and more
A popular stopover for Tel (0299) 443-6268. Open 10am– than 300 plant fossils, have
those visiting the dinosaur 8pm Tue–Sat, 4–8pm Sun & hols. been the subject of worldwide
destinations Villa El Chocón 8 6pm Tue−Sun (Spanish only). attention since the dig
0 7
and Plaza Huincul, Neuquén began in 2001. Previously
is a conurbation of low-rise E Museo Paraje Confluencia undiscovered dinosaurs
buildings that can be divided Independencia & Córdoba. Tel (0299) include Futalognkosaurus dukei,
into two distinct sectors: 442-5430. Open 9am–6pm Mon–Fri, a colossal 118-ft (36-m) long
el alto (uptown) and el bajo 6–10pm Sat, Sun, & hols. herbivore, and Unenlagia
(downtown). The tree-shaded
Parque Central divides these
two areas and is where most
of Neuquén’s cultural sights
are found.
Lying north of the park is
Museo Nacional de Bellas
Artes (MNBA), housed in a
minimalist-style building
and inaugurated in 2004. Its
per manent collection features
European art from the
Renaissance to the 19th cen-
tury, along with works from all
over Argentina. Running along Replica dinosaur skeletons on display at Museo Municipal Cármen Funes
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp282–3 and pp296–8

238-239_EW_Argentina.indd 238 05/08/16 10:42 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm