Around 1545, so the story goes, a herder named Diego Huallpa climbed a mountain in the altiplano, an Andean plateau stretching across what is now western Bolivia, in search of a missing llama, only to stumble upon a seam of silver. The recently overthrown Inca empire considered this peak to be sacred, but the Spanish conquistadors, who had heard about the discovery, swiftly started mining. The mountain, which became known as Cerro Rico (Rich Hill), proved to be the greatest source of silver in history.
At its foot developed the city of Potosí, which grew to become one of the wealthiest and most industrialised places on the planet in the 16th and 17th centuries. Home to some of Latin America's finest examples of architecture, at least one street was literally paved with silver. In the novel Don Quixote, published in the early 1600s, the eponymous knight remarks to his squire, Sancho Panza, 'It's worth a Potosí'- aka a fortune. The legend on the city's coat of arms even boasted: 'I am rich Potosí, treasure of the world, king of the mountains, envy of kings.'
Cerro Rico's silver had a seismic impact. It created global trading networks, propped up the Spanish empire and helped to fuel the Industrial Revolution, changing the Western world. But it came at a horrific cost. So many Indigenous people and enslaved Africans died in the mines and processing plants that Cerro Rico became known as 'the mountain that eats men'.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February/March 2023-Ausgabe von Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February/March 2023-Ausgabe von Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens