On the banks of the Río Huana Mayu, in the upper Potosí barrios of Cantumarca and San Antonio, are some fine ruined examples of the ingenios (smelters) formerly used to extract silver from the ore hauled out of Cerro Rico. Some remaining ones – there were originally 82 along a 15km stretch – date back to the 1570s and were in use until the mid-1800s. Most Cerro Rico mine tours include a stop at a working ingenio.

Each ingenio consists of a floor penetrated by shallow wells (buitrones) where the ore was mixed with mercury and salt. The ore was then ground by millstones that were powered by water that was impounded in the 32 artificial Lagunas de Kari Kari.


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1. Iglesia de San Bernardo

2.98 MILES

The former church and convent of Iglesia de San Bernardo is most notable for its spectacular facade of un-dressed boulders. The cavernous interior now…

3. Museo y Convento de Santa Teresa

3.05 MILES

The fascinating Santa Teresa Convent was founded in 1685 and is still home to a small community of Carmelite nuns who have restored the sizable building…

4. Arcos de Cobija

3.11 MILES

Potosí's elaborate colonial architecture merits a stroll around the narrow streets to take in the ornate doorways and facades, as well as the covered…

6. Iglesia Santo Domingo

3.17 MILES

Parts of this 17th-century church, recently restored, served as a prison from 1860 to 2000.

7. Torre de la Compañía de Jesús

3.18 MILES

The ornate and beautiful bell tower, on what remains of the former Jesuit church, was completed in 1707 after the collapse of the original church. Both…

8. Casa Nacional de la Moneda

3.23 MILES

The National Mint is Potosí’s star attraction and one of South America’s finest museums. Potosí’s first mint was constructed on the present site of the…