Ushuaia Travel Guide: Attractions

The end of the World

The city of Ushuaia has a number of attractions that are well worth visiting during a sojourn here. Although many of these adopt the “End of the world” theme travelers should not be wary – this is merely a geographical reference. The historical center of Ushuaia has been preserved in its original layout with many mansions, museums, monuments and churches adorning the streets.

For a glance at Ushuaian history, a ride on the End of the World Train is a must. In the past, this smart and stylish steam engine was used to transfer prisoners to the labor camp that used to be located near the city. The isolation of Ushuaia made it suitable for deporting prisoners and their labor here indeed contributed to the development of the site. The train route begins on the outskirts of the city at the “End of the World stations” (busses leave from the Plaza Cívica on the 8km journey to the station). The narrow-gauge track slices through beautiful Patagonian landscapes – rich and diverse forests; winding rivers flowing through smooth valleys and glistening white mountains reflecting into the blue waters. The train follows the meandering route of the Pipo River – its banks still show traces of where prisoners used to cut down trees over a period of almost 50 years to supply the Ushuaia community with wood.  There is a stop at La Macarena waterfall which shoots through lush green vegetation. From here an excursion can be made to a small native village which is characteristic of the settlements of the indigenous peoples who inhabited the land before European arrival.

The End of the World Museum is another place where the history and anthropology of the Tierra del Fuego region can be examined. A variety of historical artifacts are on display, ranging from the tools of indigenous peoples to more recent apparatus that were utilized by pioneers and explorers in the area. In particular, visitors will be amazed by the imposing and elegant 800kg figurehead that belonged to the English ship the Duchess of Albany which was shipwrecked nearby in 1893. There is also an extensive library with more than 3,000 works on the anthropology, history and nature of the Tierra del Fuego.

To delve further into the heart of Ushuaia history, travelers should make a stop at the Ushuaia Ex-Penitentiary/Jail for Relapsing Criminals. This is a key feature of the city as its introduction was an important phase in the development of the regional economy. This was firstly used to hold relapsing criminals, the first of whom arrived in 1896, but it expanded to include highly dangerous criminals who had to see out long- or life-sentences in jail. Prolific criminals who were held here include the 'petiso orejudo'' ("bat-eared shorty") Sánchez Godino and the anarchist Simón Radowitzky. The prison moved to the heart of Ushuaia in 1902 when inmates labored to construct the city’s first stone building over a period of 18 years. At its height, as many as 800 prisoners were held here in 380 small cells. The economy of the city boosted as a result of their forced labor – roads and bridges were engineered, electricity and phone cables were installed and essential timbering for construction was made more efficient through laying tracks for the end of the world railway, not to mention the timbering itself. All of this was made possible by the trials and tribulations of prisoners, a key component of development in the region, and making a visit to this site indispensable for those with any interest in Patagonian history.

The ex-prison building also hosts the Police Museum, the Antarctic Museum, the Maritime Museum, and the Penitentiary Museum and Prisons of the World, again all shedding light on the intriguing past of the southernmost city in the world.