La Paz

La Paz occupies a canyon carved by the Choqueyapu River, a bowl‑like depression that belongs to the Amazon basin and is surrounded by the Altiplano’s high mountains. The altitude creates a subtropical highland climate, bringing rainy summers and dry winters. Government buildings cluster around Plaza Murillo, where the Palacio Quemado and the Plurinational Legislative Assembly face the Metropolitan Cathedral; foreign embassies and international missions also line the square. The city contributes roughly 24 % of Bolivia’s gross domestic product and hosts the headquarters of many national companies.

Colonial architecture is evident in the San Francisco Church and the historic Jaén Street, while the historic Plaza Murillo commemorates the 1809 revolution sparked by Pedro Domingo Murillo. The Witches’ Market offers a vivid display of traditional amulets and curiosities that attract visitors seeking local folklore. From numerous natural viewpoints, the Cordillera Real’s snow‑capped summits frame the urban landscape, and the cable‑car system, the largest urban network of its kind, lifts passengers over steep streets to provide panoramic city views. The combination of dramatic mountain backdrop and a city built on steep terraces makes La Paz a uniquely high‑altitude metropolis.