Sucre Journals

Sucre: Dream Capital

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A February 2007 trip to Sucre by SeenThat

Metropolitan Cathedral Photo - Sucre, Bolivia

Quote: Sparkling white structures, Spaniard styled churches, and a beautiful central plaza effortlessly transfer the visitor to Sucre into colonial times.

20 Photos

Plaza 25 de Mayo

Attraction | "The Country’s Central Plaza"

Quote:

The most distinctive feature of Spaniard colonial towns is the central plaza, which serves them as an administrative and cultural centre. Standing at the plaza's centre, a glance is enough to identify the importance of the town and if there is something special in it. Even without knowing Bolivian history, it is easy to see that Sucre's plaza is unique, that something special happened here. IndependenceDespite the town's tiny size, its main plaza is huge. The cathedral by its side is monumental. The administrative centers - belonging to the town and the province - have national proportions. Moreover, by the end of this quick glance, the eyes stop at a h...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 12, 2009

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Mercado Central

Attraction | "On Passion Fruit, Salty Cheese and Round Bread"

San Francisco Basilica Photo - Basilica de San Francisco, Sucre, Bolivia

Quote:

Local markets are always a good place to meet the local culture and people. While traveling, they provide a fascinating opportunity to examine differences among cities. For example, moving south through the Andean Plateau from La Paz down to Oruro, Sucre and Potosi would result in finding substantially smaller breads in the mark...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 12, 2009

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La Catedral Metropolitana de Sucre

Attraction | "Magical Altitude Light"

Quote:

The Cathedral of Sucre was constructed between 1559 and 1712, an amazing span of time which crosses three centuries, on one of the corners of the Plaza 25 de Mayo, the town's central square. In the era of instant buildings popping out on modern cities outskirts everyday it is hard to comprehend such a time-span. A result of such a prolonged construction-time was the use of several styles in the edifice, from Renaissance to Baroque with Mestizo influences.OutsideIt is by far the most imposing and interesting structure next to the central plaza; the cathedral and its museum are well worth to the hurried visitor a couple of hours. The wonder begins at the ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 12, 2009

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Sucre: Dream Capital

Overview

Quote:

The White City – as it is known in Bolivia - was founded in 1538 as La Plata (The Silver); the city was the capital of the Charcas, an extensive territory stretching from the Rio de la Plata to Peru. In 1776, the Spaniards created new administrative divisions and the city name was changed to Chuquisaca. On 6 of August 1825 the Bolivian independence was declared here and its name was changed again to Sucre, honouring in such a way a general involved in the independence process. Its wide...Read More

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Basilica de San Francisco

Attraction

Quote:

Few buildings define Sucre’s centre better than the San Francisco Basilica. Not being neither on the central plaza nor the only colonial church in town, that is a somewhat strange statement. However, the structure includes a wonderful bridge of arches over the adjacent street, which gives the place – and the whole town - its special look. For once the colonial architects got it right and instead of constructing more of the same decided to give a special character to the town.

Sometimes the need of so many churches in those tiny colonial settlements looks unclear to the uninitiated. A cathedral is always by the central plaza, a basilica is a few blocks away and many churches are between and around them. Understanding the local reality is essential for the removal of the redundancy feeling. The cathedral was the main temple in town and administered the activities of all the other churches. The small churches scattered around provided services to the different neighbourhoods and congregations. The basilica began its way as a Franciscan Missionary centre aimed to convert the natives; task in which it was exceedingly successful from the beginning.

The basilica’s construction began in 1581, on the site of an earlier Franciscan missionary school, and ended in 1618. Its location is fabulous, near the central plaza but not on it; it spans the Arce Avenue with a beautiful series of white arches, which in the past connected the church with the now inexistent monastery. Sucre’s Central Market – see the dedicated entry - is next to it and in the 16th century was actually part of the church. The structure includes nowadays one central nave and two chapels on its sides, and on the Arce Avenue’s side there are fourteen crosses - in remembrance of the Via Crucis - where a second nave was in the far past. On the wall next to the main door there are printed tiles with exhaustive details of the place history.

The temple has a notable roof made of mud on its outer side and a magnificent Mudejar craftsmanship on cedar wood in the interior. The main altar was goldened with fire, in a technique peculiar to the Spaniards of those days; nearby there are four side altars that have been reconstructed – the originals are lost. Carved and goldened seats have been given to other churches; apparently only three chairs of the original collection are still in place. Strangely enough, under the main structure there is a crypt where some Spaniard conquerors are buried. There are two very solid and square bell towers, which Bolivians revere as being those the bells that announced Bolivia’s independence declaration.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 2, 2007

Basilica de San Francisco
Capitán Ravelo and Aniceto Arce
Sucre