Santa Cruz: History

Pre-20th-Century History

The eastern lowlands of Bolivia were occupied by native tribes long before Santa Cruz was established. The archaeological site of El Fuerte, about three hours southwest of the city, dates back to 1500 BC.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra was founded in 1561 by Ñuflo de Chavez, a Spaniard who hailed from present-day Paraguay. The town was originally 220km east of its current location, but around the end of the 16th century it moved to its present position, 50km east of the Cordillera Oriental foothills, after the original location proved too vulnerable to attack from local tribes.

The city's main aim was to supply the rest of the colony with products such as rice, cotton, sugar and fruit. Its prosperity lasted until the late 1800s, when transportation routes opened up between La Paz and the Peruvian coast, making imported goods cheaper than those hauled from Santa Cruz over mule trails.

During the period leading up to Bolivia's independence in 1825, the eastern regions of the Spanish colonies were largely ignored. Although agriculture was thriving around Santa Cruz, the Spanish remained intent upon extracting every scrap of mineral wealth that could be squeezed from the rich and more hospitable highlands.

Modern History

In 1954 a highway linking Santa Cruz with other major centers was completed, and the city sprang back from its 100-year economic lull. The completion of the railway line to Brazil in the mid-1950s opened trade routes to the east, after which time tropical agriculture boomed and the city grew as prosperously as the crops. It has continued to grow to the present day.

Recent History

Today, Santa Cruz is the hub of Bolivia's richest region, and is the most populous and cosmopolitan city in the country. Threatened by President Evo Morales' 2006 proposals of land nationalization, the population of Santa Cruz cast an overwhelming 'yes' vote in a referendum for regional autonomy. It remains to be seen what changes this will bring to Santa Cruz. The city retains a small-town atmosphere, peppered with great international restaurants, trendy youth and Japanese, German, Italian, Eastern European, Arabic, Indian Sikh and German-Canadian Mennonite communities. Carnaval, in February, is a great opportunity to experience lowland culture. More than 10,000 people turn out for dancing, feasting and general chaos.

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