Mercado Lanza, Municipal marketplace in central La Paz, Bolivia
Mercado Lanza is a municipal market in central La Paz organized across four floors with separate areas for fresh produce, meats, dairy, clothing, books, and cooked food. Each level is densely packed with stalls arranged by product type, making it easy for shoppers to navigate.
The original structure was built in 1937 and later underwent complete reconstruction between 2008 and 2010. The rebuilding created a modern facility to accommodate more than 1,000 vendors.
Vendors at the market conduct business in both Aymara and Spanish, reflecting the multilingual reality of daily life in La Paz. You hear both languages flowing through the stalls as people shop and negotiate.
The market building has four entrances, including an elevated walkway from Pasarela Pérez Velasco and access from Plaza Mayor de San Francisco. Which entrance you use depends on where you arrive and what you are looking for.
The upper floors contain small restaurants that serve complete two-course meals at very affordable prices. These eateries are popular with local workers and visitors who want to eat quickly and inexpensively.
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