The archaeological site of El Fuerte de Samaipata, or El Fuerte for short, is a world famous site that is located in the department of Santa Cruz. Samaipata occupies part of the eastern foothills of the Bolivian Andes, and tourists love to visit this interesting place. The El Fuerte complex consists of 2 parts. The first one is a hill on which Indians applied numerous carved images. It is believed that this hill was the ritual centre of the ancient city in 14-16 centuries. The second part is a vast area to the south of the hill, where in former times there was a residential area, administrative and political centre. Researchers came to the opinion that this place was revered by the ancient Indians of the Chane tribe. The sacred hill was the soul and shelter for the tribes of the Arawak pre-Inca culture, and then for the Incas themselves. They were constantly attacked by the Guarani tribe, and eventually the raiders managed to take over the Santa Cruz Valley territory and destroy Samaipata. The huge, majestic hill now towers over the ruins of the city, and is a unique witness to the beliefs and traditions that were practised long before the Spanish arrived in the region. It is believed that there is no other analogue of El Fuerte in South America. In 1998, UNESCO inscribed El Fuerte de Samaipata Archaeological Site as a World Heritage Site.
