Santa Cruz de la Sierra

:This article is about the Bolivian city. For other cities named Santa Cruz, see the disambiguation page

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Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as simply Santa Cruz with a population of roughly 1.3 million residents. It is the capital city of the Department of Santa Cruz in Bolivia. Located in the eastern part of the country at 416m above sea level, the city, though usually warm, experiences chill winds that blow from the Argentine pampas called surazos.

Related Topics:
Population - Department of Santa Cruz - Bolivia - Sea level - Wind - Argentine - Pampas

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Santa Cruz de la Sierra was first founded on February 26, 1560 by Ñuflo de Chávez who gave the new settlement its name, which means "Holy Cross of the Hills," in honor of his beloved native city in Extremadura, Spain. The original settlement was actually 220km east of its current location, only a few kilometers south of today's San José de Chiquitos. After conflicts with natives the town was moved to its present position on the banks of the Piraí River in 1592. Some remains of the original settlement can be visited in the Santa Cruz la Vieja (= Old Santa Cruz) archeological site south of San José de Chiquitos (which was founded as a Jesuit mission in 1792).

Related Topics:
February 26 - 1560 - Ñuflo de Chávez - Extremadura - Spain - Piraí River - 1592

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Santa Cruz is connected by railway to Argentina and Brazil, and connected by a road built in the 1950s to Trinidad, Cochabamba and also has newly constructed paved roads to Camiri-Yacuiba-Argentina and another to Cochabamba. It is also the home of Viru Viru International Airport, one of the largest airports in Bolivia.

Related Topics:
Railway - Brazil - Road - 1950s - Trinidad - Cochabamba - Camiri - Cochabamba - Viru Viru International Airport

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As the city was fairly isolated until the early 20th century, Santa Cruz has much colonial architecture, including a 16th century cathedral and numerous Jesuit missions, and a World Heritage listed Inca fortress called El Fuerte de Samaipata.

Related Topics:
20th century - 16th century - Cathedral - Jesuit - Missions - World Heritage - Inca - Fortress - El Fuerte de Samaipata

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