City of Potosí History, Travel Information, Facts And More
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PERSONAL INFORMATION
NAME
City of Potosí
OTHER NAMES
Villa Imperial de Potosí
COUNTRY
Bolivia
ADDRESS
Bolvia, South America
CITY OF POTOSÍ PICTURE
More Information
About City of Potosí
The City of Potosi is an old mining site located in Bolivia. It was the site for the Spanish colonial silver mint for a long period of time. The city is popular for its Cerro Rico Mountain which has an abundance of silver ore. The city was founded in April 1545. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 while was entered in the list of World Heritage Site in Danger in 2014.
Some Lesser Known Facts About City of Potosí
- It is one of the highest cities in the world. Its highest peak is about 4,824 meters above sea level.
- The city was the major supplier of silver for the Spanish Empire. The ore was transported through train to the Pacific coast and then shipped to Panama City. It has the world's largest silver deposit which is mined since the sixteenth century. The city has produced up to sixty thousand tons of silver until 1996.
- The city is directly linked to the major economical changes in the 16th century.
- It is also the best example of the technology used like hydraulic power for grinding the silver ore. It was then modulated with mercury in an earthen kiln named huayras or guayras. It was then molded into bars and mark of the Royal Mint was stamped on the bars. All the processes including the dams, milling centers, aqueducts, and kilns are showed to the visitors and are well preserved.
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