This week’s UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in Bolivia. Once upon a time (more precisely, from between 300 to 1000 AD), the city of Tiwanaku was the center of a great empire. According to Wikipedia, the people that lived there used an ingenious form of agriculture called “suka kollus,” growing crops in raised fields separated by flooded canals. The canals kept the crops irrigated during the hot days and protected them against freezing during the cold nights.

Supported by these agricultural techniques, the city grew to 6.5 square kilometers, and had between 15,000 – 30,000 inhabitants when it was at its largest point.

Tiwanaku also brought other cities under its leadership, sometimes through trade and treaties, sometimes by force. The city expanded its territory to include parts of modern-day Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Around 1000 AD, the empire fell, possibly because a drought led to decreased food production.  However, the city’s monumental architecture remained and has been excavated along with other artifacts.

UNESCO’s web site notes that the city’s ” monumental remains testify to the cultural and political significance of this civilisation, which is distinct from any of the other pre-Hispanic empires of the Americas.”

To see Tiwanaku, you need a US passport and a Bolivian visa. Tourists can apply for a Bolivian visa upon arrival at the airport, but of course you’ll get out of the airport faster and with less stress if you get one before you leave the States. Here is what is required to get a Bolivian tourist visa:

• 1 completed Bolivian visa application form.
• A valid US passport
• 1 passport photo
• Your hotel confirmation, if you are staying in a hotel.
• A letter of invitation if you are staying with someone in a private home.
• A copy of a roundtrip airline ticket.  However, if you are planning on touring South America by bus or by car instead of flying in, you can submit a statement saying when and where you plan to enter and exit the exit the country.
• A recent bank or credit card statement showing that you have enough cash or credit to cover the cost of your trip.
• An international yellow fever vaccination certificate.

RushMyTravelVisa.com can help you get your visa quickly and easily.

Apply for your Bolivian visa with us today!

Tags: Bolivia, Bolivian visa, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 21st, 2010 at 5:35 pm and is filed under World Heritage Site of the Week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.