Potosi

At the foot of the Andes lies the small town of Potosi . Already in the 16th century, this area was extremely industrialized. And all because of the silver ores discovered here, which were found within the Cerro Ricco mountain (meaning rich hill). It happened during the famous "gold rush". In this case, silver was found instead of gold, but it was still a big advantage for the city. Because Potosi started to develop very quickly and soon became the richest city in South America.

Potosi, Bolivia - © Brate

Now it is hard to believe at times. After the silver began to run out, Potosi declined and its inhabitants stopped doing as well as they used to. Currently, there are mines here that extract zinc and lead ores. It has been written more than once that the miners working here have terrible conditions. However, is it worth visiting Potosi at all? Yes! There is a lot of colonial, really beautiful architecture waiting for you in the city, some nice churches and interesting museums. It is also worth adding that Potosi was under the protection of UNESCO .

For whom?

Although Potosi is on the UNESCO list, it is rather an attraction off the main tourist routes . Mainly because it is a place for connoisseurs who will appreciate its rich history and heritage related to silver mining. You might like it here if you value colonial architecture and would like to explore the history of Spanish colonialism.