During the Spanish inquisition, the invaders had one goal and one goal only: to unlock the rivers of gold running through Bolivia. This was how Potosi came to be, one of the earliest mining stations set up under the Spanish crown during the 18th Century. Casa della Moneda or the National Mint of Bolivia is an echo of those times as silver and precious metals were tapped out from the highlands.

Within stone arches and chambers reflecting traditional Spanish architecture, this mansion which once housed monetary treasures now holds historical treasures of the country. Die casts of old European currency, mule driven machines and the first coins of the land are safely stored behind glass cases to be viewed. This was the lifeblood of the old colonial mining town before the Spanish Crown abandoned it and the land sucked dry over the years. Perhaps, the National Mint sums up the story of Potosi best through the portrait of ‘La Virgin Cerro’ or the ‘The Virgin of the Mountain’. For the gifts from the mountain are what built Potosi and continue to raise the town up.