Cerro Rico

Cerro Rico is the steep, mineral-rich mountain that rises directly above the city of Potosí in southern Bolivia and gave the city its historical wealth. The mountain was the principal source of silver mined on a large scale from the 16th century onward.

The mountain dominates Potosí’s skyline and is visited for its historic mines and for views over the city. Surface features include mine shafts, spoil piles and access paths used by present-day miners; viewpoints in Potosí offer panoramic perspectives of the peak.

Spanish colonial authorities developed intensive silver extraction on Cerro Rico beginning in the 16th century, exploiting indigenous and later forced labor. Over centuries the mountain’s extensive mining networks expanded and altered the landscape; mining remains an active and economically important, but hazardous, activity.

Cerro Rico sits immediately adjacent to the historic core of Potosí in Potosí Department, at high Andean elevations. The mountain rises directly above the city and is a dominant local landmark.

• Visitor safety: Mining activity continues today; guided mine tours operate from the nearby city of Potosí but conditions underground are hazardous, so join accredited guides only.