Samaipata, Bolivia
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Samaipata or Samaypata (
Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several Indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, an Indigenous South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language ...
''samay'' to rest, ''pata'' elevated place / above, at the top / edge, bank (of a river), shore) is a small town in the Florida Province of the
Santa Cruz Department Santa Cruz () is the largest of the nine constituent departments of Bolivia, occupying about one-third (33.74%) of the country's territory. With an area of , it is slightly smaller than Japan or the US state of Montana. It is located in the ...
in
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
. It has a subtropical climate and an altitude of 1600–1800 m. It lies about 120 kilometers to the southwest of the city of
Santa Cruz de la Sierra Santa Cruz de la Sierra (; ), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz department. Situated on the Pirai River (Bolivia), Pirai River in the eastern Tropical ...
in the foothills of the
Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...
on the way to Sucre. It is a popular resort for the inhabitants of Santa Cruz due to its cool climate. As such, there is a regular bus and taxi service to Santa Cruz. The town is small, with numerous vibrant colonial buildings and narrow cobbled streets. It is located close to several tourist attractions such as
El Fuerte de Samaipata El Fuerte de Samaipata or Fort Samaipata, also known simply as "El Fuerte", is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Florida Province, Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is ...
, the Amboro National Park, El Codo de los Andes, Cuevas waterfalls, vineyards, rapids and lagoons, as well as well-preserved colonial towns such as
Vallegrande Vallegrande (Spanish, meaning 'Big Valley') is a small colonial town in Bolivia, located in the Department of Santa Cruz, some southwest of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is the capital of the Vallegrande Province and Vallegrande Municipality a ...
, Pampagrande, Postrervalle, Santiago del Valle,
Pucará The Pucará culture was an archaeological culture which developed in Qullaw, along the north-western shore of Lake Titicaca. It was characterized by a hierarchy of smaller centers and villages scattered throughout the northern basin of the Titi ...
, and others. It is also the first stop in the several tourist trails to
Sucre Sucre (; ) is the ''de jure'' capital city of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the sixth most populous city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of . This relatively high ...
, Potosi, and the
Che Guevara Ernesto "Che" Guevara (14th May 1928 – 9 October 1967) was an Argentines, Argentine Communist revolution, Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and Military theory, military theorist. A majo ...
route.


Geography

Samaipata is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
. It is located in the province of Florida in the
Santa Cruz department Santa Cruz () is the largest of the nine constituent departments of Bolivia, occupying about one-third (33.74%) of the country's territory. With an area of , it is slightly smaller than Japan or the US state of Montana. It is located in the ...
of
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
. It is located in a region of foothills going across the middle of the country, dividing the desert landscape of the west from the jungle landscape of the east. The nearest city is
Santa Cruz de La Sierra Santa Cruz de la Sierra (; ), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz department. Situated on the Pirai River (Bolivia), Pirai River in the eastern Tropical ...
, the largest city in Bolivia.


History

The valley was originally populated by people of the Chane culture dedicated to agriculture, hunting and gathering. The Chanes are famous for their densely populated villages, their ceramics and graphic designs, and most importantly the construction of the temple at
El Fuerte de Samaipata El Fuerte de Samaipata or Fort Samaipata, also known simply as "El Fuerte", is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Florida Province, Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is ...
. They cultivated mainly corn and peanuts and were rather peaceful. There are several Chane burial sites all through the valleys and pampas of Santa Cruz between the Siberia mountain ridge and the Guapay River. The region was later conquered by the
Incas The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The Inca civilisation rose fr ...
as they expanded to the southeast from their native Peru. The Incas reached a pact with the Chanes and built a city at
El Fuerte de Samaipata El Fuerte de Samaipata or Fort Samaipata, also known simply as "El Fuerte", is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Florida Province, Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is ...
. In the 16th century, Guarani warrior tribes, called Chiriguanos by the Incas and Spanish, invaded the valley from the south and defeated both the Incas and Chanes. The Guaranis continued raiding the valley and the region until the 19th century. In 1618, Pedro de Escalante y Mendoza founded Samaipata, as a point of contact between Santa Cruz and
Vallegrande Vallegrande (Spanish, meaning 'Big Valley') is a small colonial town in Bolivia, located in the Department of Santa Cruz, some southwest of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is the capital of the Vallegrande Province and Vallegrande Municipality a ...
. The town moved from its original location in a place known as Castilla to its current location a few kilometers west.


People

Samaipata is quite cosmopolitan and diverse. Samaipateños from old families are descendants of
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
colonists from
Vallegrande Vallegrande (Spanish, meaning 'Big Valley') is a small colonial town in Bolivia, located in the Department of Santa Cruz, some southwest of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is the capital of the Vallegrande Province and Vallegrande Municipality a ...
and Santa Cruz (many of whom were of
Sephardic Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...
origin) and the local Guarani natives that had invaded the valley prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. Beginning in the 1880s, some
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
families settled in Samaipata, they were followed by a few Croatians and Italians, all of which mixed and assimilated into the local population. After the road that passes by the town was paved in the 1960s, many migrants from all over Bolivia (mainly from nearby Santa Cruz, but also Cochabamba and Sucre) settled in this little town. Since the 1970s, several
Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...
,
Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...
,
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
, Argentines and a few Japanese also moved to Samaipata and made it their home.


Economy

The local economy is mainly dedicated to tourism, agriculture (including its many vineyards) and crafts. Local farmers produce organic vegetables such as tomatoes, artichokes, lettuces and green beans. The region is also famous for its production of fruits such as peaches, grapes, plums, chirimoyas, guapurus, strawberries and figs. There is also a significant production of wines, singani, honey, marmalades, cold cuts, herbal infusions, lavender, art pieces and artisan crafts.


Climate

Samaipata's climate is classified as a
subtropical highland climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring c ...
, abbreviated "Cfb" by the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system and "Cfbl" by the
Trewartha climate classification The Trewartha climate classification (TCC), or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC), is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köp ...
system. The climate is temperate, semi-dry in the winter months, and mild with an average annual temperature of 19.9 °C. During the winter months cold fronts called ''Surazos'' come from the Argentine
Pampa The Pampas (; from Quechuan languages, Quechua 'plain'), also known as the Pampas Plain, are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentina, Argentine Provinces of Argentina, provinces of Buenos Aires Pro ...
s and enter the plains and valleys of Santa Cruz, these cold winds combined with the altitude can reach temperatures below freezing. In the summer, the days are warm and the nights cool. Frost occurs on nine days in an average year, mostly in the winter months.


Viniculture

Samaipata has a wine culture dating back to the first Spanish settlements in the Valleys of Santa Cruz. Although it had a dwindling production during the Republican Era, in recent years it has established itself as one of the most prominent wine regions in Bolivia. It is now the second wine region in terms of planted area and attracts an increasing number of ecotourists, particularly from Santa Cruz, Bolivia's largest city. There are three established wineries in the region: Uvairenda (where th
1750 Wines
are produced)
Bodegas Landsua
and El Último Vargas. Located at 1.750 m.a.s.l., Samaipata has arisen as its main representative for its high-quality wines and its success in the Bolivian market. Known for its views and pleasant weather, Samaipata proves to be a good place for viniculture. Seasonal and day/night temperature variation together with protection from the cold winds from the South, provided by the hills that surrounds the numerous valleys, Samaipata and the rest of the Valleys of Santa Cruz have become areas of increased interest for its vinicultural potential. The main varieties produced are Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Barbera, Malbec, Torrontés grapes becoming the emblematic grapes of the region. Other varieties cultivated, although in a lesser quantity, are Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Many of the vineyards of Samaipata are within walking distance from the town center. Most vineyards provide guided tours which include a wine tasting at the end of the tour.


Gallery

Image:Samaipata1.jpg, Streetscene. Traditional Spanish colonial houses face into a courtyard/garden for security reasons. Image:Samaipata2.jpg, Streetscene. A neglected and unprepossessing exterior often hides a beautiful garden within.


El Fuerte de Samaipata

Nearby is the pre-
Inca The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...
ruin of
El Fuerte de Samaipata El Fuerte de Samaipata or Fort Samaipata, also known simply as "El Fuerte", is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Florida Province, Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is ...
. It is not actually a fort, but a temple. This is Bolivia's largest pre-Inca site. Declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1998, this archaeological complex presents pre-Inca (Chane), Inca, and colonial Spanish ruins. The temple was originally built by the Arawak people most likely belonging to the Chane culture that inhabited the surrounding valleys and the pampas to the East. The temple was carved on an enormous rock. The Incas also built a city adjacent to the temple and established trade and alliances with the Chanes to protect the territories from the constant invasions of warrior Guarani tribes that raided the region from time to time. It is believed that both Chanes and Incas were eventually defeated by the Guarani warriors, and by the time the Spaniards colonized the region, it was already dominated by Guarani tribes, and El Fuerte was already destroyed. The Spanish colonizers also built a town next to the temple, but it was later abandoned when the inhabitants moved to the base of the valley. The site includes a sloping ramp, pronounced by flying saucer enthusiast
Erich von Däniken Erich Anton Paul von Däniken (; ; born 14 April 1935) is a Swiss author of several pseudoscientific books which make claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, including the best-selling '' Chariots of the Gods?'', publis ...
in his book "
Chariots of the Gods ''Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past'' () is a book written in 1968 by Erich von Däniken and translated from the original German by Michael Heron. It involves the hypothesis that the technologies and religions of many ancien ...
" to be a launch platform for spaceships. Some of the site is now cordoned off due to damage caused by visitors walking on the rock carvings.


Las Cuevas

Also, of interest nearby, Las Cuevas , a pleasant walk by streams and waterfalls. There are several pools and beaches. A small fee is charged for entrance. Camping is not allowed. File:Lascuevas1.jpg, Rock pools and waterfall where the locals swim. File:Lascuevas2.jpg, The beach. File:Lascuevas3.jpg, The park extends for several miles. File:Cascadas de Cuevas Santa Cruz Bolivia.jpg, Cuevas Waterfalls


See also

*
El Fuerte de Samaipata El Fuerte de Samaipata or Fort Samaipata, also known simply as "El Fuerte", is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Florida Province, Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. It is ...


References


External links


Samaipata

Samaipata weather
{{Authority control Populated places in Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia) Archaeological sites in Bolivia