Tiwanaku is a poorly maintained archeological site about an hour outside of La Paz. It was once the seat of power for the Tiwanaku Empire and an important pilgrimage destination for many to visit the holy shrines within its walls. There isn’t a lot of clear information about this site or the people who lived here. Some researchers believe the civilization began around 1,500 BC. From carvings researchers have assessed that all resources and wealth were controlled by the elite and the lower classes were broken up into professions. The elite ensured that all people received what they needed to live and to perform their daily tasks. There is evidence of trade with the Lake Titicaca region and that fish were one major food source. Before the Incan Empire, the people of Tiwanaku dispersed due to bad weather and the fact that the earth was no longer fertile for agriculture. In the process of searching for new homes, many were absorbed into other cultures such as the Incas (the Inca people were around for hundreds of years before the period of the Incan Empire began).
The most interesting structure we saw was the Akapana. It is a cross-shaped pyramid like temple. In the middle there is a place for sacrificing animals and an agricultural calendar. It appears that the people of Tiwanaku held many similar beliefs to the Incas in regards to where humans come from and the significance of mother earth, astrological signs, and the seasons. The Gateway of the Sun is the most famous aspect of the site. It may have been due to not feeling well, but this site didn’t meet my expectations to be honest. I would recommend doing one of the tours of Illimani instead. Illimani is the mountain that dominates La Paz’s skyline and is the second tallest mountain in Bolivia standing at 6,438 meters or 21,122 ft.
One interesting thing our tour guide shared was that Tiwanaku is about to lose its UNESCO funding because not all the money goes to the site. The funding is first given to the Bolivian government who then gives it to the regional government. It is then divided between the indigenous groups of the region and in the end very little money ever makes it to the maintenance of the site. When we were in Chile, our guide told us that they also have issues with UNESCO funding, but for a very different reason. Part of the agreement is that all aspects of a site must be preserved in the condition/manner they were in on the first day of UNESCO funding. If a site/city, wants to update something in many cases it can’t. In Valparaiso for example, there was a fire and the interior of a building was completely gutted. Since the exterior walls are still standing, the city can’t fix the building because in fixing it they would be altering the building from its original condition. Our guide even said that recently in Germany several UNESCO sites have requested to give up their status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because following the stipulations was greatly limiting them.
Lastly, there was a very nice older couple we met on the tour. He is Bolivian and she is Japanese, but they now live in Toronto. She is an avid potter and spends her retirement traveling to pottery seminars. I was just about to mention that my parents went to the most famous university in the world for ceramic engineering when she said that every year she goes to the US to visit Alfred University. What a small world! They were both entertained by this fact and we discussed the campus in detail. I recently visited the campus when I went to New York for my grandmother’s funeral and wouldn’t mind going back soon.
In summary, even as a history lover this site wasn’t a winner. If you are in the area, go the extra distance and visit Incan ruins in Peru!
The most interesting structure we saw was the Akapana. It is a cross-shaped pyramid like temple. In the middle there is a place for sacrificing animals and an agricultural calendar. It appears that the people of Tiwanaku held many similar beliefs to the Incas in regards to where humans come from and the significance of mother earth, astrological signs, and the seasons. The Gateway of the Sun is the most famous aspect of the site. It may have been due to not feeling well, but this site didn’t meet my expectations to be honest. I would recommend doing one of the tours of Illimani instead. Illimani is the mountain that dominates La Paz’s skyline and is the second tallest mountain in Bolivia standing at 6,438 meters or 21,122 ft.
One interesting thing our tour guide shared was that Tiwanaku is about to lose its UNESCO funding because not all the money goes to the site. The funding is first given to the Bolivian government who then gives it to the regional government. It is then divided between the indigenous groups of the region and in the end very little money ever makes it to the maintenance of the site. When we were in Chile, our guide told us that they also have issues with UNESCO funding, but for a very different reason. Part of the agreement is that all aspects of a site must be preserved in the condition/manner they were in on the first day of UNESCO funding. If a site/city, wants to update something in many cases it can’t. In Valparaiso for example, there was a fire and the interior of a building was completely gutted. Since the exterior walls are still standing, the city can’t fix the building because in fixing it they would be altering the building from its original condition. Our guide even said that recently in Germany several UNESCO sites have requested to give up their status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because following the stipulations was greatly limiting them.
Lastly, there was a very nice older couple we met on the tour. He is Bolivian and she is Japanese, but they now live in Toronto. She is an avid potter and spends her retirement traveling to pottery seminars. I was just about to mention that my parents went to the most famous university in the world for ceramic engineering when she said that every year she goes to the US to visit Alfred University. What a small world! They were both entertained by this fact and we discussed the campus in detail. I recently visited the campus when I went to New York for my grandmother’s funeral and wouldn’t mind going back soon.
In summary, even as a history lover this site wasn’t a winner. If you are in the area, go the extra distance and visit Incan ruins in Peru!
