Plaza Murillo

The Plaza Murillo is the central

National Congress of Bolivia, and the Cathedral of La Paz (or more formally, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, La Paz).^[1]

It is located in the old town, or Casco Viejo, of the city and is surrounded by Socabaya Street to the west, Ayacucho Street to the east, Comercio Street to the south, and a continuation of Ingavi and Ballivan Streets to the north.

Names

The Plaza was originally named the Plaza Mayor (Greatest/Main Plaza) after its construction. It was later known during the colonial period as the Plaza de Armas. Following independence, it was renamed the July 16 Plaza (Plaza 16 de Julio) on February 3, 1902, in honor of

Pedro Murillo, captured and hung by Spanish troops in January 1810.^[2]

History

The plaza was designed in 1558 as part of the rectilinear grid of La Paz by Juan Gutiérrez Paniagua, who was appointed by

Society of Jesus, the Cathedral, the Royal Treasury (Cajas Reales), and the Bishop's Residence (Casa Obispal).^[3]

The plaza has been a key site for battles for political power in Bolivia. It was fought over or defended in numerous revolutionary conflicts, including in 1809, 1811, 1814, 1862, 1865, 1871, 1898, 1946, 1952, and 2002.[4] Independence era leaders Pedro Domingo Murillo, Juan Antonio Figueroa, Basilio Catacora, Buenaventura Bueno, Melchor Jiménez, Mariano Graneros, Apolinar Jaén, Gregorio García Lanza, Juan Bautista Sagárnaga, Juan Cordero and Simona Manzaneda were all killed on or near the plaza.^[4] In the 1946 uprising against Gualberto Villarroel, he was hung from a lamppost in the plaza.

References

^ Grant, Arthur Hastings; Harold Sinley Buttenheim (1918). The American city. Vol. 19. Buttenheim Pub. Corp. p. 96.
^ ^a ^b Gerl, Carlos; Randy Chávez (2012). Plaza Murillo. Pedro Susz Khol (ed.). Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz. p. 3 (unnumbered). Retrieved 2012-03-09.
^ Gerl, Carlos; Randy Chávez (2012). Plaza Murillo. Pedro Susz Khol (ed.). Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz. p. 4 (unnumbered). Retrieved 2012-03-09.
^ ^a ^b Gerl, Carlos; Randy Chávez (2012). Plaza Murillo. Pedro Susz Khol (ed.). Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz. p. 6 (unnumbered). Retrieved 2012-03-09.

16°29′45″S 68°08′01″W / 16.495761°S 68.133572°W / -16.495761; -68.133572

[1] Grant, Arthur Hastings; Harold Sinley Buttenheim (1918). The American city. Vol. 19. Buttenheim Pub. Corp. p. 96.

[PM-LP3-2] Gerl, Carlos; Randy Chávez (2012). Plaza Murillo. Pedro Susz Khol (ed.). Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz. p. 3 (unnumbered). Retrieved 2012-03-09.

[PM-LP4-3] Gerl, Carlos; Randy Chávez (2012). Plaza Murillo. Pedro Susz Khol (ed.). Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz. p. 4 (unnumbered). Retrieved 2012-03-09.

[PM-LP6-4] Gerl, Carlos; Randy Chávez (2012). Plaza Murillo. Pedro Susz Khol (ed.). Gobierno Autónomo Municipal de La Paz. p. 6 (unnumbered). Retrieved 2012-03-09.

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