SANTUARIO CRUZ GIL

6 km from Mercedes is the place of worship dedicated to the gaucho Gil, who is the object of a real popular veneration. A real historical character, Antonio Gil was a soldier who deserted the army at the end of the 19th century. This character, who was born very close to Mercedes in Pay Ubre, aroused a real popular fervour throughout the country. You will often see small altars dedicated to him on the side of the road. There are several versions of his story, in any case time and legends passed on by word of mouth have made him a popular character. According to legend, he was a kind of Robin Hood who devoted himself to stealing from the rich to help the poor. People also attribute to him the power to perform miracles. No one agrees on the exact meaning of the chosen place: one version claims that the gaucho's remains lie there, others claim that this was the place where he was arrested, and still others say that this is where he was killed. An entire tourist complex (restaurants, camping...) has been set up to welcome the pilgrims who have come to pay homage to him. Several tens of thousands come every year, especially on January 8, the anniversary of his death. Hundreds of thank you plaques are scattered around the cross dedicated to the gaucho.

For the anecdote there are other shrines dedicated to the Gauchito Gil outside Argentina: in Chile (in the region of Aysén), in Uruguay in the city of Mercedes and around Barcelona in Spain.