The Silver City

The discovery of ore in silver-rich Cerro Rico in 1544 prompted the foundation of the city of Potosí in 1545 at the foot of the hill. The city started under the name of Villa Imperial de Carlos V. Large-scale excavation began in the site immediately and the first shipment of silver was sent to Spain. In 1672, a mint was established to coin silver and water reservoirs were built to fulfill the growing population's needs. At that time more than eighty six churches were built and the city's population increased to nearly 200,000, making it one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Latin America and in the world.

Hundreds, possibly thousands of shiploads of silver were sent to Spain over the course of more than 300 years. At one point, there was so much silver that during a particular festival the cobblestones were removed from the city street and replaced with bars of silver. Stories of the city that paved its streets with silver reached Europe and motivated many more settlers to arrive. Potosi has gone from opulent to poverty stricken and today is one of the poorest regions of Bolivia.

In the 16th century, this area was regarded as the world's largest industrial complex. The extraction of silver ore relied on a series of hydraulic mills. The site consists of the industrial monuments of the Cerro Rico (the mountain where come from the silver and the precious minerals), where water is provided by an intricate system of aqueducts and artificial lakes (UNESCO)

San Francisco Church

Portal of Iglesia de San Lorenzo de Carangas -ornate Baroque mestizo combines Andean and Catholic symbols. It was carved in stone by master Indian artisans in the 16th century, but the main structure wasn't completed until the bell towers were added in 1744.

This church is decorated in a type of bolivian plateresco style. Indian elements like the sun and the moon can be seen in the decoration.

Tristan Savatierwww.loupiote.com

Virgin Mary as Cerro Rico Mountain

• Tristan Savatier• www.loupiote.com

Thanks to silver extraction, Potosi became the largest city in the Americas. In 1553, the city received the title of Imperial City under Carlos V, King of Spain, and was visited by architects and artists that transformed the city into a symbol of riches, luxury, and splendor.

The streets are crowded even late during the night.

Approximately 8 MILLION natives died digging Cerro Rico in search of silver

The amazing amount of silver taken from Cerro Rico, the population growth and expansion of commerce, and the unexpected ascendancy of the city, among other factors, made it advisable to establish a mint in Potosi.

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Casa de la Moneda

Casa de la Moneda

Mint coining machine

Going to the mine

Thermal waters

Salar de Chiguana

UNESCO named Potosi Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity and the Organization of American States named Potosi a Monument City of the Americas for its cultural and historic value.

Colonial painting Lilibeth

10/07/2011