Long before it was part of Argentina, the Inca Empire ruled over the land of present day Salta.  They first arrived in the 7th century from the area of Lake Titicaca and expanded their empire throughout the area of northern Argentina, which came to be known as the Collasuyo Province.  The Incas rule over their land lasted hundreds of years until the early 16th century, when the Spanish arrived.  Ruins of this powerful civilization can still be seen in the area today.

            There are two theories for the origin of the city’s present day name Salta.  The first claims that the city was names after the Inca word “salta”, which means “a pleasant place to settle down”.  The other theory states that the city was names after the “Sahta” tribe, which lived in the area during the time of the Spanish arrival. 

              The Spanish explorer Hernando de Lerma founded the city of Salta on April 16, 1582, for the purpose of being a connection between Lima, Peru and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

            Salta played a major role during the War of Independence.   The natural location of the city made it a major point of strategy between the Argentines and the Peruvians.

            When the war ended, it was obvious that years of fighting had taken place in Salta, and for years afterwards the city’s economy and political situation struggled.  

            Eventually, as more and more imigrants moved to the area, stability was once again restored.  

            For more information, check out this detailed history of Salta .