Stained-glass windows depicting former Bolivian presidentsas well as a presidential tomb grace this church in La Paz’s political centre.
Located next to the Presidential Palace, La Paz Cathedral isone of the most important churches in Bolivia. See the tomb of a formerBolivian president inside, and learn about the political leaders executed onthe plaza in front of the church. The rich neoclassical design of La Paz’scentral church is one of the city’s most iconic sights.
Construction of the La Paz Cathedral began in the 1830s.Admire the church’s dual towers, crowned by dark domes that match the cupola atthe back. The church spans a whole block, from Plaza Murillo to Potosi Street.Since the cathedral is situated on a slant, its entrance stands 12 metres (30feet) above its base.
Step into the cathedral. Inside, arches and columns line thechurch, and vibrant stained-glass windows stand at the back wall. Due to thechurch’s location next to the Presidential Palace, the windows show formerBolivian presidents being blessed. Find the tomb of another former Bolivianpresident, Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana. He died in France in 1865 afteraiding Spanish forces in unsuccessfully suppressing the Bolivian revolution.
Head next door to see the Presidential Palace, where theofficial headquarters of the Bolivian president have been held since thecolonial era. Guards in 19th-century uniforms are posted in front of thepalace’s yellow façade. If you watch long enough, you may get to see thechanging of the guard. The seat of Bolivia’s Congress abuts Plaza Murillo aswell.
