The Incredible Mountain City of La Paz, Bolivia
La Paz whose full name is Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the
administrative capital of Bolivia and the second largest city in the
country (in population) after Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Bolivia has two
capitals - while the official capital of Bolivia is Sucre and it is the
seat of Justice, La Paz has more government departments, hence the "de
facto" capital of the country. At a elevation of roughly 3,650 m above
sea level, Laz Paz is also the highest de facto capital city in the
world.
La Paz is built in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu
River (now mostly built over), which runs northwest to southeast. The
city sits in a bowl-like depression surrounded by the high mountains of
the altiplano. As the city continues to grow, it climbs over the hills,
the buildings clinging impossibly to the mountain side. The sight from
the air as one flies into La Paz is incredible. “First, one sees the
sprawling shantytowns of El Alto, slowly giving way to the sight of La
Paz itself, clinging tenuously to the sides of what looks like a large
gash in the earth
Overlooking
the city is towering triple-peaked Illimani, which is always
snow-covered and can be seen from several spots of the city, including
from the neighbor city of El Alto.
The geography of La Paz, in
particular the altitude, reflects society: the lower areas of the city
are the more affluent areas. While many middle-class residents live in
high-rise condos near the center, the houses of the truly affluent are
located in the lower neighborhoods southwest of the Prado. And looking
up from the center, the surrounding hills are plastered with makeshift
brick houses of those less economically fortunate. The satellite city of
El Alto, in which the airport is located, is spread over a broad area
to the west of the canyon, on the Altiplano.
La
Paz is an important cultural center of Bolivia. The city hosts several
cathedrals belonging to the colonial times, such as the San Francisco
Cathedral and the Metropolitan Cathedral, this last one located on
Murillo Square, which is also home of the political and administrative
power of the country. Hundreds of different museums can be found across
the city, the most notable ones on Jaén Street, which street design has
been preserved from the Spanish days and is home of 10 different
museums. La Paz is renowned for its unique markets, very unusual
topography, and traditional culture.
