Second biggest pyramid (outside of Egypt)!!

On Friday before leaving for Sucre we went to visit Tiwanaku(or Tiahuanaco). This is Bolivia´s most famous archaelogical site. It is believed to be the capital city of the pre-Incan Aymara civilisation who lived around Lake Titicaca. The city consists of temples, dwellings and a huge (and as yet to be fully excavated) pyramid. The pyramid is said to rival any of the others found in Mexico or elsewhere in South America and excavation is currently underway and due to complete in the next five years. It has seven different levels and no peak, so quite different to the Egyptian version. There is a impressive sun gate on the site that is lit up at different points at the winter and summer solstices. Tiwanaku fell from prominence after Lake Titicaca's water level lowered and the shoreline receded from the city. Today Lake Titicaca is many miles away. What the Bolivians have started to do with this site is very impressive. They have a couple of museums on site that are well laid out and labeled. Bolivia seems to be some way behind Peru and Ecuador in terms of promoting their countries attractions but last year they created a ministry for tourism and this seems to a marked a change for the better including the funding of the 5 year plan for excavating the pyramid at Tiwanaku.

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