ORURO CARNIVAL

Where: City of Oruro

Date: variable, february or march

Oruro city was founded during the colony as silver mining center in the region of the Urus. Today, it is one of the smallest cities of the country, but it retains its attractive aspect of European design of that period. The most important tourist activity is the Oruro Carnival, declared by UNESCO in 2001 as a ‘Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’ due to its great religious and cultural value which is shown in the folk dance parade during two days.

One of the most important dances performed at Oruro Carnival is called Diablada (Dance of the Devils) that started in the ancient Andean cult in honor of the being living in the depths of the mines, which subsequently was adapted as ‘the devil’ from the colony.