In the province of Andrés Ibáñez, cultural history and nature observation are distinct themes. In Santa Cruz de la Sierra, church architecture and a historic house shape the cultural program; the Jardín Botánico in Guapilo and the Zoológico Municipal offer other points of interest.
Cultural History and Architecture
The Basílica Menor de San Lorenzo Mártir, also known as the Catedral Metropolitana de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, is the city’s most important Catholic place of worship and Bolivia’s second-largest temple. It replaced the former wooden church. Construction began in 1839, based on a design by the French architect Felipe Bertrés. In 1904, Monseñor Santistevan commissioned the French architect León Mousnier to complete it; Mousnier finished construction in 1915. In August of that year, the church was consecrated as the new cathedral.
Several architectural details come together at the cathedral: its neoclassical towers show Baroque influences and stand in front of the three naves. The façade is described as the second largest in the Americas. Inside, striking wooden vaults shape the classically designed space; they are considered the largest on the continent. The main altar is also worth a closer look: its embossed silver coverings come from the Jesuit missions of the 18th century.
El Aljibe offers another perspective on the city’s history. On December 7, 2017, it was declared part of Santa Cruz de la Sierra’s historic, tangible cultural, urban and architectural heritage under Law No. 696. At the El Aljibe restaurant, the rooms of the house are arranged like a costumbrist museum, with numerous everyday objects on display. The original household well is in the courtyard.
La Guardia also has its own historical significance: during the War of Independence, the town protected Santa Cruz de la Sierra from the passage of royalist troops from the west. The community’s main church is Parroquia Purísima Concepción de La Guardia. It is regarded by the community as a symbol of faith and tradition. In this way, the region brings together architectural history, religious architecture and a remembrance of the independence era, without suggesting that they tell the same story.
Garden Trails, Habitats and Wildlife
The Jardín Botánico in Guapilo offers a nature experience with clearly defined landscapes: seven kilometers of established and marked ecological trails pass through three representative ecoregions of the Departamento de Santa Cruz—the Chiquitano dry forest, the subtropical forest and the Chaco forest. The trails provide a way to explore different forest types during a garden visit.
Other areas of the garden include a lagoon of about 1.5 hectares, home to nine fish species and some lizards. A tropical greenhouse brings together orchids and native plants with a small river inside. The Palmatarium recreates a palm forest with species from the Departamento de Santa Cruz and other regions of Bolivia. It is complemented by a cactus collection, a herbarium, a laboratory and a nursery.
The grounds also include a viewpoint, a children’s playground, a colonial courtyard and several barbecue areas. Guided natural history tours focused on environmental protection and conservation are available in a university context upon formal request. This focus on nature interpretation sets the garden apart from a collection alone: the trails, plant areas and guided activities each offer a different perspective.
At the Zoológico Municipal de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, raising awareness about the protection and conservation of wildlife is central. Its educational approach combines wildlife exhibits with specialized tours. The areas mentioned include an aviary with more than 100 bird species, an aquarium with more than 60 fish species, a serpentarium, a jaguar enclosure and a monkey island. This variety offers a different way to experience wildlife than the landscape and plant areas of the botanical garden.
The zoo covers around 66,000 square meters and is home to about 2,000 animals representing 250 species. Along with its different areas—from the aviary and aquarium to the enclosures—these figures give an idea of the zoo’s scale and focus, without requiring visitors to center their visit on any one animal or facility.
Choose the Focus of Your Trip
If you are primarily interested in architectural history, the cathedral, El Aljibe and the church in La Guardia offer different cultural points of reference. For a stronger focus on nature and wildlife, explore the marked garden trails, the plant areas and the zoo. Choose your accommodation based on the visits that matter most to you; this keeps your plans guided by your interests rather than combining every destination into a fixed itinerary.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Jorochito, Sara, José Miguel De Velasco, Ñuflo De Chávez, Ignacio Warnes, Provincia de Germán Busch, Ángel Sandoval.
For the main travel overview: Santa Cruz.
