Potosí

History

Potosí is founded in 1545 to work the close mine. During nearly 60 years, the Spaniards enormously will grow rich thanks to all the money which is extracted from the mountain. Still today, the expression vale Potosí (“ that is worth Potosí ” - quotation of the Don Quichotte) gets busy in Spanish about with the same direction as the French expression “ it is the Peru ”, whose historical origin is the same one.

The money was extracted by the forced labor of the Indians, instituted by Francisco de Toledo through a transformation of the incaïque institution of the Mita. The city quickly becomes the city most populated of America behind Mexico City with at least 200 000 inhabitants. However, of the thousands, even of the million Indians die because of respiratory problems due to dust in the mines or when they remain blocked in those after a crumbling.

After 1800, the money is done rare, and the tin becomes the first resource. The city falls then declining economic.

During the War of independence, (1809 - 1825), Potosí is particularly coveted and on several occasions passes with the hands of the Royalists to those of the Patriots. Excesses of the First Argentinian auxiliary army (under the command of Castelli) lead to a strong desire of independence and focus strong resentments with regard to the Argentine. During this occupation, there are many exactions and a great anarchy so much so that Potosí becomes indefensible about it.

When the Second auxiliary army arrives, this one is cordially received and its commander, Belgrano, make much to cure the wounds caused by Castelli. When its army must be withdrawn, Belgrano makes the decision calculated to destroy Put it of Moneda. As the inhabitants refuse to evacuate it, the explosion should result in a hecatomb. However the disaster is avoided, not by Argentina which was already in escape, but by the inhabitants who extinguished the wick.

The relations woven by Belgrano are swept of only one blow. Two other forwardings left Argentina will seize Potosí.

Climate

The climate is dry throughout the year. Precipitations are not abundant. The summer, the temperature can reach 22 degrees, but goes down again to 12 as of the evening. The winter, the thermal variations are larger, the maximum ones do not change much, but the minima can pass in lower part of 0.

Means of communication

A superb road connects the city to Sucre, capital administrative of the country, in three good hours of way. Another road, also in perfect state, led towards La Paz or Cochabamba, via Oruro (count a good night of way). A railroad of which the use remains to confirm connects you to Chile like with the capital. It is about the highest railway way of the world. The airport is not used any more with the breaking news, but any exchange so quickly in Bolivia which you do not risk anything to ask of the information.

Tourism

Altitude should from of nothing dissuade you. Potosi was at the 16 and 17th centuries the city most populated in the world (if one takes into account the population of the mines), and remained the second more beautiful city of the country, after Sucre.

You will meet here many of other tourists, or rather routards, being thirsty for expatriation and originality. Many tourist guides offer their services and the visit in French is completely possible. It is also highly advised to stroll downtown (if your lungs allow it). July (coldest of the year) the absence of cloud cover makes it possible the thermometer to climb, but even with the sun one appreciates to be heated with a good " maté" (infusion) of Coke.

" Moneda" put; , witness of the atrocities made by the Spaniards during 16th and 17th centuries, is an impressive building with the past charged (testing it work of metal was assured essentially by slaves from Africa, while the mines were worked by autochtones, perhaps to feel sorry for their life expectancy so much even more was reduced).

The colonial malls, houses with the bright colors, balconies out of wooden, all here watch a last rich person. The cathedral, located in full downtown area, is splendid. The principal place invites at rest, with idleness.

One can with difficulty make the dead end on the visit of the mines of the " Cerro Rico" , strongly to however disadvise to the people claustrophobics or easily exhausted by the rarefaction of oxygen. Because of the telluric activity, the temperature inside briskly reached 30 degrees. The atmosphere is not very respirable, and even once left you will have well sorrow to take again your breath, to 4000 m of altitude. Various tourist agencies propose guided visits in full safety, the whole accompanied by a small initiatory circuit. But never enter only the mines, it goes there from your survival: in addition to certain galleries are narrow and slipping, nobody will come to your rescue if you press yourselves ankle or quite simply if you lose yourselves in this labyrinth, only lit, badly and temporarily, by the lamp which you will have brought yourself.

See too

Zacatecas, with the Mexico was another large mine of the Spanish Empire.

External bonds

Cerro Rico 2003
photographs and information on the Indian culture of Bolivia

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