Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
History
Santa Cruz de la Sierra was founded in 1561 by Ñuflo de Chávez, a Spaniard who hailed
from present-day Paraguay. The town originated 220km east of its current location, but in
1621, by order of the King of Spain, it moved to its present position, 50km east of the
Cordillera Oriental foothills. The original location had proved too vulnerable to attack
from local tribes. Ñuflo himself was killed in 1568 at the hands of the mestizo Itatine tribe
made up of indigenous and Spanish settlers.
The city's main purpose was to supply the rest of the colony with products such as rice,
cotton, sugar and fruit. Its prosperity lasted until the late 1800s, when transportation
routes opened up between La Paz and the Peruvian coast, making imported goods cheaper
than those hauled from Santa Cruz over mule trails.
During the period leading up to Bolivia's independence in 1825, the eastern regions of
the Spanish colonies were largely ignored. Although agriculture was thriving around
Santa Cruz, the Spanish remained intent upon extracting every scrap of mineral wealth
that could be squeezed from the rich and more hospitable highlands.
In 1954 a highway linking Santa Cruz with other major centers was completed and the
city sprang back from its 100-year economic lull. The completion of the railway line to
Brazil in the mid-1950s opened trade routes to the east, after which time tropical agricul-
ture boomed and the city grew as prosperously as crops such as oranges, sugar cane, bana-
nas and coffee. That growth continues to the present day.
The
cruceños
are an independent lot who feel little affinity for their government in La
Paz and are well aware of their city's stock value as the country's trade and transport cen-
ter. Support for President Morales is thin on the ground here and
cruceños
voiced their
overwhelming desire for the region's autonomy in 2006. Though they lost that battle fol-
lowing a national referendum, calls for independence continue to be the main source of in-
spiration for the city's graffiti artists.
Sights & Activities
Santa Cruz is not the richest town when it comes to sightseeing. You'll probably spend
most of your time here strolling around and sipping coffee in one of the city's many cafes.
Plaza 24 de Septiembre
The city's main plaza serves as a lush tropical space where you'll see locals lounging on
benches or strolling,
camba
bands banging out their tropical rhythms and families bring-
PLAZA
