Cementerio de Trenes

The Train Cemetery (Cementerio de Trenes) near Uyuni is a hauntingly beautiful open-air museum that serves as a testament to Bolivia's industrial history. Located just three kilometers from the town center, it houses dozens of rusted steam locomotives and rail cars dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These machines were originally imported from Great Britain to transport minerals from the Andean mines to the Pacific coast. When the mining industry collapsed in the 1940s and diesel engines became the standard, the steam trains were abandoned in the desert. The corrosive salt winds from the nearby Salar de Uyuni and the harsh Altiplano climate have since transformed the steel structures into skeletal, orange-hued sculptures. Today, the site is a world-renowned destination for photographers and travelers who find beauty in the decay of the industrial age. It stands as a powerful symbol of past ambitions and the eventual reclamation of human works by the natural environment.

History & landmarks

Torre de la Compañía de Jesús

This ornate stone bell tower is the only remnant of a Jesuit church and one of the most important symbols of the silver city of Potosí.

Catedral de Potosí

An imposing neoclassical cathedral in the historic center of the old mining town of Potosí, whose towers dominate the cityscape.

Iglesia de San Lorenzo de Carangas

One of Potosí's most masterful churches, featuring an incredibly detailed carved stone portal facade in the mestizo baroque style.

Nature

Madre de Dios River

The Madre de Dios River is an important river in the Amazon basin that flows through Peru and northern Bolivia.

More places

Cordillera de Lípez

The Cordillera de Lípez in southwestern Bolivia offers a rugged, extreme volcanic landscape with unique colored lagoons.

Lípez Quinoa Fields

On the harsh high plateau of southwestern Bolivia, indigenous farmers cultivate royal quinoa, a unique pseudocereal.

Cerro Zapaleri

Cerro Zapaleri is a volcanic mountain that marks the tripoint between Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

Church of San Lorenzo de Carangas

A beautiful church in Potosí, famous for its elaborately carved stone portal in the Mestizo Baroque style.

Casa de la Moneda

The old royal mint in Potosí, where coins were minted for the Spanish Empire from the silver of Cerro Rico during the colonial period.

Cathedral of Potosí

The most important church in the center of Potosí, reflecting the wealth of the silver city with its magnificent neoclassical architecture.

Convent of Santa Teresa (Potosí)

A historic Carmelite convent in Potosí dating from 1685, which now serves as a museum showcasing the strict life of the nuns.

Cerro Guayaques

Cerro Guayaques is a volcanic complex on the border with Chile, whose lava flows shape the rugged desert landscape.