Potosi

Potosí is one of the highest cities in the world, sitting at an elevation of 13,500ft. You can feel it in your bones. Walking up a small flight of stairs will leave you gasping for air.  Combo that with over a months long vacationers diet (heavy on the friend chicken) and you'll be taking breaks on that middle stair just like me. Potosí is known historically for the Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain) that looms over it. Established as a mining town in the mid-1500's, Potosí sprang up as one of the largest (200,000) and wealthiest cities in the world by the mid-1600's. Over a period of 200 years 45,000 tons of pure silver was mined from the Cerro, of which 9,000 tons went directly to the Spanish Monarchy. 

Visiting the mines of Cerro Rico is one of the main reasons backpackers come to Potosí. I'll write about that hellish experience in the next post.

The Cerro Rico

A narrow street

Like Sucre, Potosí has great colonial spanish architecture and churches on almost ever corner. Literally every corner. During its boom period Potosí had around 90 churches in order to ensure that the souls of each and every indigenous person would be saved. 

Jeff trying to spot a Burger King amongst the numerous churches

Catching my breath after walking up several flights of stairs

Jeff, Shola and I in the Bell Tower of Potosí's main cathedral

Potosí and the Cerro Rico at night