High society: El Alto, Bolivia, steps into the spotlight

High society: El Alto, Bolivia, steps into the spotlight



Claire Boobbyer
Wed 17 Oct 2018 01.30 EDT

Most travellers never give El Alto a second thought. Bolivia’s second city, home to the highest international airport in South America (and fifth-highest in the world) at 4,061 metres, it is a place visitors fly into before being whisked to La Paz, the de facto capital, 15km away and 421 metres lower.

Yet, El Alto is emerging from the shadow of its neighbour, thanks to its fantastic rebel architecture, new cable car routes, emerging culinary credentials and the trailblazing input of its first female mayor, Soledad Chapetón. It’s also proudly championing the Fighting Cholitas, female wrestlers who perform regularly at its sports centre, called El Multifuncional.

To see how this city is developing, I took a new tour with local guide Sandro Diaz Callejas. We started by boarding a Red Line gondola from La Paz’s Central Station, one of the two cities’ seven cable car routes, before changing to the new Blue Line – in the district known as La Ceja, the eyebrow. Below us were the coloured tarpaulins of one of the world’s largest markets, Feria 16 de Julio; along both sides were some of the psychedelic-looking buildings that have become the signature works of indigenous Aymara architect Freddy Mamani Silvestre.

Started in 2005, these structures include commercial premises, apartments, ballrooms and penthouses commissioned by El Alto’s nouveau riche. The most fabulous boast swimming pools, lifts, expensive chandeliers and rooftop football pitches. The fantasy designs spring from motifs and colours found in Aymara culture and weaving.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/oct/17/el-alto-bolivia-architecture-culture-la-paz



Freddy Mamani structures





Freddy Mamani standing in front of one of his structures



















Mayan pyramid from Central America:











Is it just me or does it seem the architect refers to the pyramids with little structures on top of big structures? I can't stop seeing a connection. It's fascinating.