La Paz

La Paz is built in a bowl in the Bolivian altiplano with the bottom of the bowl around 370 metres (1214 feet) below the rim at over 3,630 metres (over 11900 feet) above mean sea level.

This location was designed to shield the city from the cold winds of the altiplano when the Spanish started to build the city in 1548. It was located close to the Rio Choqueyapu where they had found gold.

Front of the Basilica de San Francisco


In the centre of La Paz stands the Basilica de San Francisco, shown in the pictures above and on the right.

The building to the right of the tower contains vartisan artisans workshops where many Bolivian goods are sold. These include silver jewelery, pan pipes, clothing etc...

Since the city is built in a bowl and this area has to be the deepest part of the bowl, everywhere from here is up and, in some cases very steeply up!

Feeding the pigeons at another plaza in another part of La Paz - near the goverment buildings. Just like Trafalgar Square in London.

Below is a 'refresco' seller in the plaza selling fresh orange juice.This plaza is ringed with restaurants and cafés, and, on the day we were there, TV cameras and interviewers waiting to talk to government members leaving the building on the right hand side in the background.