While astronomers often set their sights on the stars, the landscapes surrounding their observatories can be just as awe-inspiring.
Chile’s Atacama Desert, home to the world-renowned ALMA telescope, offers breathtaking sights both above and below. One such marvel is the ancient stone fortress of Pukará de Quitor, a relic of the Licán Antai people that has stood for over 900 years.
Gazing Beyond the Stars
Astronomers often look to the sky, but sometimes, the wonders on Earth are just as captivating. In Chile’s Atacama Desert, the night sky dazzles with countless stars, yet when daylight returns, the rugged landscape unveils breathtaking sights of its own.
A Fortress with a View
One such marvel is Pukará de Quitor, an ancient stone fortress built centuries ago by the Licán Antai people, also known as the Atacameños. Located near San Pedro de Atacama, it stands close to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a world-renowned radio telescope operated by ESO and its international partners.
In this striking image, the fortress’s arch perfectly frames the towering Licancabur volcano, which rises along Chile’s border with Bolivia. The volcano itself holds archaeological significance, with ruins scattered across its slopes and a summit crater that shelters one of the world’s highest-altitude lakes.
A Portal to the Past
Now close your eyes and imagine you are standing right there, on the stones of Pukará de Quitor. Are you surrounded by blue skies and terracotta stones? Or by a pitch-black sky full of stars? Whichever you choose, remember that you are looking back in time. This archaeological site dates all the way back to the 12th century, so these stones have been standing here for over 900 years. And the light of the stars has traveled hundreds or even thousands of years before it reaches us. What a privilege to be able to see it!
