Historic City of Sucre, World Heritage Site in Bolivia

Sucre is an ancient city in central Bolivia. In fact, although the capital of Bolivia is La Paz, constitutionally it is Sucre, which was founded by the Spanish in the first half of the 16th century and became a center of Christian missionary activity when a bishopric was established there. The city has many well-preserved religious buildings and a blend of indigenous traditions and Spanish architectural styles.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why the Historic City of Sucre is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Sucre!

What is Historic City of Sucre?

Sucre, located in the Chuquisaca Province of central Bolivia at an altitude of 2,810 meters, was founded in 1538 under the direction of Francisco Pizarro, a “conquistador” from Spain. At that time, it was not called Sucre, but Ciudad de la Plata de la Nueva Toledo (Silver City of New Toledo).

In 1825, Bolivia gained independence, and the city was chosen as its first capital. The city was named Sucre after Antonio José de Sucre, the father of Bolivia’s independence and its first president.

Like other Spanish colonial cities, the urban structure was laid out in a grid of streets. When the nearby Potosi silver mine was developed and managed by Sucre, many people began to settle in the city, which enriched it and made it a cultural center, including the establishment of a university.

Sucre’s buildings are unique in style, combining European architectural styles from the 16th to 19th centuries, such as Renaissance, Mudejar (Spanish Islamic-style architecture), Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical, as well as traditional indigenous architectural styles. The House of Liberty, built in 1621, is especially important to some Bolivians, as it was the site where Bolivian independence was signed in 1825.

For what reason is the ancient city of Sucre on the World Heritage List?

Sucre was evaluated on the following points.

Registration Criteria (iv)
Old Town consists of outstanding architecture that combines European architectural styles with indigenous traditions and is still well preserved.

World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments

Sucre prospered by managing the Potosi Silver Mine, and many buildings were built in a fusion of the best European architectural styles and local traditions. It is still well preserved today, and is valued for the fact that the architecture of each period tells the story of the city’s history.

Incidentally, Sucre no longer functions as a capital city, and La Paz is now the de facto capital.However, only the Supreme Court is located in Sucre for some reason. If you continue to appeal, you will have to go to Sucre sooner or later, which is quite a hassle, but it is a test of your enthusiasm for that court.

*The content here is a discussion derived through research by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.