The site

El Fuerte de Samaipata, or simply El Fuerte, is a pre-Columbian site in the eastern foothills of the Bolivian Andes. Despite its name it served religious, ceremonial and residential purposes, and it uniquely encompasses buildings of three cultures: the Chané who likely began it, the Inca who added a plaza and residences as their empire pushed eastward, and the Spanish. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it draws Bolivian and foreign visitors alike.

Field notes

civilizations

Inca

types

Sanctuary · Petroglyph

occupied

300 CE — 1,600 CE

country

Bolivia

elevation

1,904 m above sea level