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Photography from Bolivia, Chile, Peru and elsewhere in South America.
I have many more images available in my archives which are in the process of being uploaded and am always shooting new work. If you can't find the images you are looking for please get in touch, I may well be able to help!
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Potosí City

Potosí is one of Bolivia's most historic colonial cities, the capital of Potosí Department and at an altitude of 4090m / 13,420ft one of the highest cities is the world. The colonial city was founded in 1545 as Villa Imperial de Carlos V at the foot of Cerro Rico ("Rich Mountain"), which dominates views of the city and whose huge silver deposits soon meant than Potosí became one of the most important cities in the Spanish Empire and the world's largest industrial complex at the time. By the early 17th century Potosi was the largest and richest city in the Americas, producing much of the silver from the New World and rivalling the great European cities for splendour. Estimates put the number of slaves (mostly indigenous people brought from all over the Spanish Empire) who died inside Cerro Rico extracting the silver in millions.

As the silver started to run out Potosí's fortunes declined considerably, though tin mining became important in the mid-19th century. Today mining is still the mainstay of the economy, and many beautiful colonial buildings (most notably churches and the Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint) survive as a reminder of Potosí's glory days. The historic city, industrial sites and Cerro Rico were declared a UNESCO Heritage Site on 11th December 1987.

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 View over Potosí from San Francisco church roof, Bolivia
 View over Potosí from San Francisco church roof, Bolivia
 View over Potosí from San Francisco church roof, Bolivia
 View over Potosí from San Francisco church roof, Bolivia
 View over Potosí to Cerro Rico from San Francisco church roof, Bolivia
 Colonial street, San Francisco church tower and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
 Colonial street, San Francisco church tower and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Indigenous lady in colonial street, San Francisco church tower and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Colonial street, San Francisco church tower and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
 Colonial street, San Francisco church tower and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
 Colonial street, San Francisco church tower and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
 Colonial street, San Francisco church tower and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Ceramic plaque on Santa Teresa convent wall, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of entrance facade of Santa Teresa convent, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of entrance facade of Santa Teresa convent, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of entrance facade of Santa Teresa convent, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of entrance facade of Santa Teresa convent, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of entrance facade of Santa Teresa convent, Potosí, Bolivia
Colonial street and Santa Teresa convent, Potosí, Bolivia
Colonial street and Santa Teresa convent, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of stone carving above San Benito church doorway, Potosí, Bolivia
San Benito church doorway detail, Potosí, Bolivia
San Benito church doorway detail, Potosí, Bolivia
San Benito church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
San Benito church bell-gable detail, Potosí, Bolivia
San Benito church bell-gable detail, Potosí, Bolivia
San Benito church bell-gable detail, Potosí, Bolivia
 San Benito church, Potosi, Bolivia
 San Benito church, Cerro Rico behind to left, Potosi, Bolivia
Stone carving detail on entrance facade , San Lorenzo church, Potosí, Bolivia
Stone figure carving detail on entrance facade , San Lorenzo church, Potosí, Bolivia
Stone figure carving detail on entrance facade , San Lorenzo church, Potosí, Bolivia
Stone figure carving detail on entrance facade , San Lorenzo church, Potosí, Bolivia
Stone figure carving detail on entrance facade , San Lorenzo church, Potosí, Bolivia
Stone figure carving detail on entrance facade , San Lorenzo church, Potosí, Bolivia
 La Merced church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
 La Merced church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
 La Merced church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
 La Merced church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
La Merced church, Potosí, Bolivia
La Merced church, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of stone carving on pillar on Belen church facade, Potosí, Bolivia
 Belen church facade, Potosí, Bolivia
 Belen church facade, Potosí, Bolivia
 Compañia de Jesus Jesuit church tower at night, Potosi, Bolivia
 Compañia de Jesus Jesuit church tower at night, Potosi, Bolivia
Detail of Copacabana church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
Copacabana church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
Copacabana church entrance facade, Potosí, Bolivia
San Sebastian church bell-gable detail, Potosí, Bolivia
San Sebastian church entrance and bell-gable, Potosí, Bolivia
San Sebastian church with Cerro Rico in background, Potosí, Bolivia
San Sebastian church with Cerro Rico in background, Potosí, Bolivia
San Sebastian church with snow covered Cerro Rico in background, Potosí, Bolivia
Boys playing basketball, San Sebastian church and snow covered Cerro Rico in background, Potosí, Bolivia
Boys playing basketball, San Sebastian church and snow covered Cerro Rico in background, Potosí, Bolivia
San Sebastian church with snow covered Cerro Rico in background, Potosí, Bolivia
View of city centre and cathedral and church towers, Potosí, Bolivia
View of city centre and cathedral and church towers, Potosí, Bolivia
Cerro Rico and remains of aqueduct (part of old mining ingenio), Potosí, Bolivia
Cerro Rico and remains of aqueduct (part of old mining ingenio), Potosí, Bolivia
Laundry outside house in suburb, Cerro Rico in background, Potosí, Bolivia
View of Cerro Rico and San Benito church at night, Potosí, Bolivia
View of Cerro Rico and San Benito church at sunset, Potosí, Bolivia
View of Cerro Rico and San Benito church, Potosí, Bolivia
View of Cerro Rico and San Benito church, Potosí, Bolivia
View of Cerro Rico and San Benito church, Potosí, Bolivia
View of Cerro Rico and San Benito church, Potosí, Bolivia
Puerta del Sol doorway, Potosí, Bolivia
Puerta del Sol doorway in colonial street, Potosí, Bolivia
Puerta del Sol doorway, colonial street and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Rustic colonial house, Quechua lady and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Rustic colonial house, Quechua lady and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Rustic colonial house, dog and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Main entrance of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of lion head door knocker on main entrance of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of lion head door knocker on main entrance of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Detail of main entrance of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Bacchus face in main courtyard of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Bacchus face in main courtyard of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Main courtyard of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Main courtyard of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Main courtyard of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Main courtyard of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
Main courtyard of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint, Potosí, Bolivia
View across roof of Casa de la Moneda / Royal Mint to Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Main Plaza 10 de Noviembre and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
Main Plaza 10 de Noviembre and Cerro Rico, Potosí, Bolivia
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