The city of Río Cuarto, founded in 1786 by Spanish Governor Rafael de Sobremonte, is situated in the far south of Cordoba province on the banks of the same named Río Cuarto close to the Sierra de Comechingones. Several confrontations took place here during the civil wars and the Comandancia de Fronteras del Ejercito de Linea is now the Museo Historic Regional which recounts much of what happened during the Campana al Desierto when much of the indigenous population were killed.

At the centre of town is Plaza General Roca overlooked by the Baroque-style Iglesia Catedral, now a historical monument. Río Cuarto, once an important rail junction, also boasts the Museo del Riel housed in the old railway station on Boulevard Roca. While on Colon the Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes stages art exhibitions but also has a permanent collection of some 600 paintings, including works by Benito Quinquela Martin, Antonio Berni and Lino Spilimbergo.