UNIVERSIDAD DE SAN FRANCISCO XAVIER DE CHUQUISACA

Founded on March 27, 1624, it is one of the oldest universities in the country. The Universidad Mayor, Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca, its full name, was of great historical importance, for it was in its classrooms that the revolutionary spirit of the American people was born. In fact, San Francisco Xavier was at that time the most important center of education on this side of America. Students from all over the viceroyalty of Peru passed through its halls. They were very open to all political and philosophical thoughts coming from the old continent. It was the French Revolution that gave rise to the first revolutionary impulses.

From an architectural point of view, San Francisco Xavier is a real jewel, with Doric arches in its lower part and Ionic arches in its upper part. You can enter the large patio and admire the fountain in the centre or sit for a while in the corridor under the beautiful coffered ceiling. It is this patio with its tower that is represented on the back of the 100 bolivianos note! In 1625, Archbishop Cristobal Castilla y Zamora ordered the construction of the main hall of the university, a work in which mestizo artists participated. The furniture, whose style imitates that of the Cabildo Metropolitano in Rome, was executed by the artist Sallestar. We recommend a visit to the library of the Faculty of Law, known as the Archivo Nacional and one of the most important in Bolivia (about 70,000 volumes). The first books in the library were donated by the Jesuits, and later on special collections were added. The library occupies the former dining room of the teachers' cloister. It contains dictionaries in indigenous languages, primitive chronicles, Bolivian bibliographies, notary records, laws and decrees, etc.

In the central building of the university, dating from 1926, you can admire the stained glass window of the Romero room, made by the artist Geüer.

Other placesto visit are the hall of honour, where two wall panels can be seen, as well as furniture and wooden objects of great artistic value, and the rector's hall, where a wall panel illustrates the history of the university.

The University's Anthropological Museum, located on Calle Bolívar, displays objects and works of art that are worth a visit.