| Taken by Jason | 3 Comments » | Photo of the Day
Cerro Calvario (Calvary Hill) Copacabana, Bolivia Overlooking Lake Titicaca
Copacabana is the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca, from where boats leave for Isla del Sol, the sacred Inca island. The town has a large 16th-century shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. Our Lady of Copacabana is the patron saint of Bolivia.
The town is a destination for tourism in Bolivia. The town is also known for its famous Basilica, home of the Virgin of Copacabana, its trout, and its quaint atmosphere. Built between Mount Calvario and Mount Niño Calvario, the town has approximately 6,000 inhabitants. Copacabana’s religious celebrations, cultural patrimony, and traditional festivals are well known throughout Bolivia. – Wikipedia
This is a photo of Cerro Calvario (Calvary Hill) which is lined with monuments representing the 14 Stations of the Cross. Pilgrims visit the Stations for prayer and penance and many tourists climb the hill for its fine views. The Stations of the Cross were built on this hill in the 1950s, when the government decided Copacabana should have more to offer its thousands of pilgrims than just the Basilica of the Virgin. – Sacred Destinations
It took a friend and I (Chuck) 30 minutes to walk all of the steep steps to the top. The exhausting climb was worth the beautiful sunset view out into Lake Titicaca. Some of our best Bolivia sunset photos were taken from this perch.