Matthew Barker

Bolivia and local cultural sites

Read about a number of cultural sites in Bolivia, country in the sky by a expert from Peru For Less.

A trip to Bolivia is a trip to a culturally rich and diverse landlocked nation high in the sky. What strikes first time visitors to the nation is the intense indigenous culture that exists in the country, making the nation a rich crossroads of the modern and the traditional.

The administrative capital city La Paz is a modern metropolis; packed with museums, shopping malls, monuments and sights. La Paz is renowned for its unique markets, traditional culture and a unusual landscape setting.

The constitutional capital is actually Sucre, south west of La Paz. Sucre is where the original Bolivian declaration of independence was signed and the Republic of Bolivia formed. Sucre houses the declaration of independence and a number of national monuments that are worth visiting. La Paz became the seat of government in 1898 which spurned the cities modern development.

La Paz is a very important cultural and tourist destination for Bolivia. Not only is it the gateway to the nation, it also a great place for Bolivians to learn about their heritage and nation.

The nation was first occupied by the Spanish in 1524 and was completely conquered by 1533. However the nation now known at Bolivia has been populated by for over 2000 years by local Indian tribes. At the time of Spanish conquest the Inca Empire was undergoing massive expansion and was at its peak. However, the arrival of Spanish and their European diseases decimated the native population leaving much of the land unpopulated and leaving the Incas vulnerable.

What makes Bolivia such a rich nation is the fact that you can easily see the wealth of the ancient cultures still living today. As you explore the nation you see local women dressed in traditional clothes, you can visit historic ruins and even hear the native languages of the Indians.

A good place to start a journey into the past of Bolivia is the ruins of Tiahuanaco, near the shores of Lake Titicaca. Tiahuanaco was the center of a powerful, self-sustaining empire in the southern Central Andes. The city can be easily accessed from La Paz.

The ancient Tiahuanaco city was settled by 400 B.C. on the Tiahuanaco River, which empties into Lake Titicaca in the north. The small farming village evolved into a regal city of pyramids, courts and urban areas. The city covered total area of 2.31 square miles between 100 and 1000 A.D. Tiahuanaco society was self-sustaining with its agriculture, and its fishing resource base was more than sufficient to support the complex state administrative apparatus and the population under its control. The Tiahuanaco Empire collapsed between 1000 and 1100 A. D due what is thought to be a drought which meant that food was not able to be grown to sustain the population.

Also in the Lake Titicaca area are the islands of Uros. These are manmade islands, made out of dried reeds in a millennia old tradition. The local people actually live on these islands in small communities, which were originally built for defence. They take their culture very seriously and this can be seen when you visit. The islanders take it in turns to receive tourists each month and the money generated goes into community development.

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