Bolivia, at 424,164 sq. miles, is approximately one
and a half times the size of Texas. One of two land-locked countries of South America, Bolivia both straddles the Andes and lies wholly within the tropical zone. It
shares borders with Peru to the northwest, Brasil to the north and
east, Paraguay to the southeast, Argentina to the south and both Peru and Chile to the west.
The population of 6.4 million is primarily
indigenous with a proud heritage and rich traditions that make Bolivia a very special country to visit. Bolivia also boasts the highest lake on earth, Lake Titicaca; the highest golf course, the highest ski run,
the highest capital, one of the newest and wildest frontiers and one of the oldest ruins!
La Paz
While not the
official capital, La Paz is the acting capital as well as the
headquarters of the financial and commercial world in Bolivia, and as such is the highest capital city on
earth, at 12,000 feet altitude.
Lying in a natural
basin protected from the harsh winds, 21,000 ft high snow-capped Mount Illimani provides a spectacular backdrop to the city.
Modern skyscrapers dot the city, offering contrasts to the more typical Spanish colonial,
red-tiled roof buildings.
Main points of
interest in the city include the San Francisco Church, built in 1549 with an interesting
combination of baroque Spanish and native craftsmanship; the Museo Tiwanaku; and nearby
Moon Valley with natural moon-like landscapes.
Save time to explore
the streets surrounding the San
Francisco Church. There are many handicraft shops, the Witch
Doctor’s Market, and further up the hill the bustling daily market with goods, meat
and produce of all kinds.
No visit to La Paz would be complete without a night visit to a
“pena”, where you can experience the haunting music of the Andes and the colorful folkloric dances.
SHOPPING
Best buys are knitted and woven
goods - rugs, ponchos, sweaters, wall hangings. Also gold, silver, leather goods, wooden
carvings and instruments as well as handicrafts and folklore items.
CLIMATE
Temperature is largely determined
by altitude. The rainy season is October to March; dry season April to September.
GASTRONOMIC GUIDE
Corn, potatoes and quinua (a high
protein grain) are native to the Bolivian Andes and form the basis for many a typical
dish. Because of the country’s proximity to the Equator, there is a wide variety of
fruit; there is a burgeoning wine industry, and the local beer is excellent. Trout from Lake Titicaca is also a regional specialty.
HISTORY:
Pedro
de la Gasca, to whom the Spanish king had entrusted rule over the former Inca lands,
commanded Captain Alonso de Mendoza to found a new
city
commemorating the end of the civil wars in Peru.
Then the city of La
Paz
was founded on October
20th, 1548
under the name of La Ciudad de Nuestra Señora de La Paz (The City of Our Lady of Peace).
The city was first established in what today is Laja, on
the Tiahuanaco
road. Shortly after its founding, La
Paz
was moved to its present location, in the valley of the Chuquiago Marka.
On
1549, Juan Gutierrez Paniagua was commanded to design and urban plan that will designate
sites for public areas, plazas, official buildings. La Plaza de los Españoles, what today
constitutes the Plaza Murillo, was chosen as the location for government buildings as well
as the cathedral.
Spain
controlled La
Paz
with a firm grip and the Spanish king had the last word in all matters political. In 1781,
for a total of six months, a group of Aymara people laid siege to the no longer peaceful
city of La
Paz.
Under the leadership of Tupac Katari, they destroyed churches and government property.
Thirty years later Indians laid a two-month siege on La
Paz.
In 1809 the struggle for independence from the Spanish rule brought uprisings against the
royalist forces.
Today
La
Paz
is a vibrant city, growing and expanding in all directions. La
Paz
has a population of more than a million inhabitants. La
Paz
is the official government site.
SOME
ATTRACTIONS IN LA PAZ
- Presidential
Palace:
Also known as the Palacio Quemado (Burnt
Palace)
due to repeating fire episodes the building endured in the past.
- The
Cathedral:
Built in 1835, the cathedral is an impressive building worth seeing. It is located in the
Plaza Murillo nest to the Presidential Palace.
- Churches:
San
Francisco,
Santo
Domingo
- Casa
de Pedro Domingo Murillo:
Once the house of Pedro Domingo Murillo, martyr of the independence revolution of 1809
(hanged in the plaza that now bores his name) the house displays a collection of
furniture, textiles, and art from colonial times.
- Museo
Costumbrista:
Displays amazing ceramic dolls wearing traditional customs that show how was life in the
early 1800's. Also displays are photos of old La
Paz.
- Museo
Nacional de Arqueología:
Depicts a collection of artifacts of the Tiahuanacu culture.
- Museo
del Litoral:
Displays objects from the 1879 war in which Bolivia
lost its sea coast to Chile.
- Museo
del Oro:
Depicts pre-Conquest works made of gold, silver and copper.
- Museo
de Etnografía y Folklore:
This house built in the late 1700's exhibits customs and art of two ethnic groups. The
Chipayas and Ayoreos.
- Museo
del Charango:
Located in Calle Linares, the museum displays an incredible variety of this musical
instrument. Other native instruments are displayed as well.
- Museo
de Historia Natural:
Exhibits on Bolivia's
paleontology, geology, paleontology, zoology, and botany. Casa Museo
Marina Nuñez del Prado: Displays Quechua and Aymara-theme sculptures by
Bolivian artist Marina Nuñez del Prado.
- Museo
Nacional de Arte:
Located in calle Comercio, this former palace built in 1775, houses works by Melchor Perez
de Holguín and Marina Nuñez del Prado, among others.
- Mercado
de Brujas
(Witches' Market): Merchandise sold here includes herbs, remedies as well as other
ingredients used in Aymara traditions.
- Feria
de Alasitas:
This fair is celebrated each year on January 24 in honor of a little god of abundance
known as Ekeko
which mean dwarf in Aymara.
- Valle
de la Luna (Moon
Valley):
Located at about 10 Km from the city center, this eroded hillside maze of canyons and
pinnacles creates a wonderful view.
