Torre de la Compañía, Colonial convent tower in Potosí, Bolivia.
Torre de la Compañía is a colonial convent tower in Potosí featuring three hemispherical domes, five openings, and thirty-two columns arranged in a triumphal arch configuration. The structure sits near Cerro Rico and displays refined stonework from the 18th century with multiple levels rising toward the sky.
Jesuit missionaries built this religious structure in the 18th century as a spiritual center in the silver mining city. The tower also served as a strategic observation point for monitoring mining activities in the surrounding region.
The tower blends Spanish Baroque style with local indigenous design elements visible in its decorations and proportions. This combination shows how European and South American artistic traditions came together in this single structure.
Visitors can explore around the tower and view its architectural details from various angles, especially the columns and domes. The best time to visit is in the morning or late afternoon when light highlights the stone surfaces.
The tower was built by Jesuits with remarkable skill using construction techniques rarely seen elsewhere in the region. Its near-unchanged survival since the 18th century makes it a rare example of how such structures were actually built.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
