Christ of the Summit. Historical-cultural aspects of a "holy mountain" in Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

The place called The Summit, in the central Argentine mountains, is the scene of crowded visits to Christ the Redeemer and the Way of the Cross, located at an altitude of over 1,250 m. This article focuses on the access, construction and use of the holy place with religious imagery at this high point in the Punilla Valley. This investigation includes participant observation and informal interviews with pilgrims, tourists, residents and souvenir shop owners, as well as museums visits and places of heritage interest. From the ambit of the anthropology of holy mountains, the case study of Christ the Redeemer, of the Summit, lets us delve deeper into the understanding of the role of tourism and popular religiosity in the history of ceremonial places at high altitude in Latin America.