When you are in Bolivia, you would find that almost all the cities of Bolivia are filled with several legends and myths. Oruro is one of those attractions of Bolivia which not only has a glorious past but also several stories attached with it. When you visit Oruro, you would find that the city has an interesting history.
When you talk about the history of Oruro you would find that the city was founded in the year 1606 by Don Manuel Castro de Padilla. Previously the name of the city was Real Villa de Don Felipe de Austria. The name was given in honor of the Spanish monarch Felipe III. However, Oruro came into the limelight in the year 1605 because of its extensive stores of silver. The name is also derived from this mineral. Though Oruro was quite popular during the 17th century, it lost its importance later after the silver mine reserves dried out.
Oruro again came into prominence in the 19th and the early 20th centuries with the production of tin. La Salvadora, the tin mine located on the east of Oruro, was the most productive tin mine of Oruro at one point of time.
Go for a trip to Oruro after visiting two sightseeing attractions of Bolivia. These are the salt lakes of Uru Uru and Poopo. It will take you just 3 hours by bus to reach Oruro from La Paz. The city is well known for its cold temperature and the best time to visit Oruro is during the months of August, September and October when the chilly winter ends and the summer rains are quite far away.
There are various ways in which you can travel to Oruro. If you want to travel by a car or a shuttle then you have to travel 230 kilometer to reach Oruro from La Paz. Other cities from which you can reach Oruro by road are Cochabamba, Potosí, Sucre and Pisiga. There is a well-connected railway system, which connects Oruro to these cities of Bolivia.
The various sightseeing attractions that you should visit on your trip to Oruro are the following:
Museo Patiño: The residence of the tin baron Simon Patiño.
Museo Mineralógico: Here you can find exhibits such as precious stones, minerals and fossils.
Museo Etnográfico Minero: It is housed in a mine tunnel and depicts various methods of mining
For authentic information on Oruro, you can browse through the site travel.mapsofworld.
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