Tiwanaku, Bolivia

Surrounded by sweeping views of the dusty Altiplano, the ruins of Tiwanaku are Bolivia’s most visited cultural treasure. Stone walls and temples stand in majestic contrast to the desolation of the northern highlands. Solemn faces carved into giant monoliths stare silently across the plains, concealing the advanced knowledge of an ancient South American population that cheated the elements and thrived in this cold, windswept valley.

Tiwanaku was constructed 13,000 feet above sea-level near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca. With cultural elements that lasted almost 3000 years, its influence reached from Bolivia into the modern day nations of Peru, Chile, and Argentina. During its peak (between A.D 500 and 950) an estimated 10,000 to 60,000 people lived near the city center. They perfected methods of food production using raised field agriculture and irrigation canals that many indigenous Aymara benefit from today.
Sometimes referred to as America’s Stonehenge, Tiwanaku is recognized as one of the 754 World Heritage Sites. The walls and temples are built with precisely cut stone blocks, one weighing over 130 tons. Archaeologists are still trying to understand how, exactly, many of the stones were transported from quarries up to 100 km away.

During the summer solstice thousands gather to witness the sun’s rays pass through the massive Puerta del Sol, the Gateway of the Sun (above). Locals celebrate with traditional dances and music. The giant gateway bears an image found in pottery and textiles found in many regions outside of the city. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Staff God’, it is thought to have become the creator god of the Inka, Viracocha, nearly 500 years later.

Tiwanaku serves as a unifying symbol of cultural pride for Bolivia, a nation that has seen almost 200 revolutions and military coups since independence from Spain in 1825. In January of 2006, the recently elected Aymara president, Evo Morales, celebrated his victory there in a traditional ceremony complete with native dress and music. To help sort out the unknown, excavations are still being conducted at and around the site. What is known, however, is the widespread influence of Tiwanaku on Andean culture. According to archaeologist Javier Escalante, this influence “transcended the borders of its capital, covering diverse and distant areas” of South America. To see Tiwanaku, in other words, is to see where Andean culture began.


excerpts from Viva! List Latin America Travel Guide
by Albert Garcia, M.A.