Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In the early 19th century, Tarija actively supported Bolivia's struggle for independence.
Although Argentina wanted to annex the agriculturally favorable area, Tarija opted to join
the Bolivian Republic when it was established in 1825.
Sights
You can see everything Tarija has to offer in an afternoon. Wander around the narrow
streets and imbibe the colonial architecture before rounding off your day with a glass of
the local
vino
on one of the plazas.
Casa Dorada
(Ingavi O-370; guided tour B$5; 9-11am & 3-5pm Mon-Fri, 9-11am Sat, guided visits
only on the hour)
The Gilded House dates back to 1930, when it was one of several prop-
erties owned by the wealthy Tarija landowner and merchant Moisés Navajas (often de-
scribed as Bolivia's Teddy Roosevelt) and his wife, Esperanza Morales. The building,
with its roof topped with a row of liberating angels, appears imposing and impressive on
tourist brochures, but in reality the exterior is sloppily splashed with gold and silver paint.
The museum is on the upper floor, displaying original family furniture and examples of
the bits and bobs that they imported from Europe. Perhaps the most worthwhile relic is the
funola,
an early type of piano that produced music by forcing air through a strip of perfor-
ated paper. The building now belongs to the university and houses the
Casa de la Cul-
tura
.
MUSEUM
MUSEUM
Museo de Arqueología y Paleontología
(cnr Lema & Trigo; 8am-noon & 3-6pm Mon-Sat)
The university-run Archaeology &
Paleontology Museum provides a glimpse of the prehistoric creatures and lives of the
early peoples that once inhabited the Tarija area. Downstairs you'll see the well-preserved
remains of several animals:
megatherium,
a giant ground sloth that was the size of an ele-
phant;
glyptodon,
a prehistoric armadillolike creature about the size of a Volkswagen
Beetle;
lestodon,
another ground sloth that resembled a giant-clawed aardvark;
scelidotherium,
a small ground sloth;
smilodon,
the saber-toothed tiger; and
Cuvierionius
tarijensi,
a fossil elephant that was discovered close to the city by the great French zoolo-
gist Georges Cuvier.
