potosi 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 Savatier

www.loupiote.comVirgin 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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imagens\Potosi 1.jpg

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

10/07/2011