Sucre (population 190,000) is the constitutional capital of Bolivia, seat of the Supreme Court (Corte Suprema de Justicia), and capital of the Chuquisaca department. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an altitude of 2,800m (9,200ft). Historically the city has also been known as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca.
On November 30 1538 Sucre was founded under the name Ciudad de la Plata de la Nueva Toledo by Pedro de Anzures , Marqués de Campo Redondo. In 1559 the Spanish King Philip II established the Audiencia de Charcas in La Plata with authority over an area which covers what is now Paraguay, southeastern Peru, Northern Chile and Argentina, and much of Bolivia. In 1609, an archbishopric was founded in the city. In 1624 San Francisco de Xavier University was founded.
Until the 18th century, La Plata was the judicial, religious and cultural center of the region. In 1839, after the city became the capital of Bolivia, it was renamed in honor of the revolutionary leader Antonio José de Sucre. Too remote after the economic decline of Potosí, it saw the Bolivian seat of government move to La Paz in 1898. In 1991, Sucre became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city attracts thousands of tourists every year thanks to its well-conserved downtown with buildings from the 18th and 19th century
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Last updated: 05-07-2005 02:01:12
