Chochís

Chochís (whose name in Chiquitano means "fury of the wind") is not so much a town as it is an extraordinary place - part religious sanctuary, part mysterious, other-worldly landscape. Technically, yes, it is a town. It sits at the foothills of the Serranía Santiago, is served by the Red Oriental railway and is just off the paved San José de Chiquitos-Puerto Quijarro motorway. People live and work here. But one can't avoid the feeling that what one experiences here is far more than what one sees. There is a subliminal, intangible energy at work in Chochís. For that reason alone, anyone within reach of the place is well advised to stop and have a look about.

Because of its placement along the railway line and roughly equidistant (25 miles, or 40 kms) location between San José de Chiquitos and Roboré, getting here is easy: Hop off the train, or just motor through (the road is paved between the two towns). There isn't much of an infrastructure to the place, and any accommodations would have to be made through the church or at the single eco-inn 2 kms out of town, but this is a stop-over you'll remember for years. In fact, in 2008 Chochís was declared a Natural and Cultural Patrimony by the Bolivian government in recognition of its importance.

Hand-carved pillar: Santuario Mariano de la Torre "Virgen de la Asunta"

Where to Go
You won't get close to Chochís without hearing mention of its sanctuary, and for good reason: The place is amazing. Formally known as the Santuario Mariano de la Torre "Virgen de la Asunta", the building was constructed by the late Hans Roth - who also restored the seven major Jesuit mission churches - in 1988 and dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption in 1991. This is one of the few major edifices Roth constructed in the Chiquitania that is not in some way either a reconstruction or restoration of a colonial-era work: it is utterly unlike any other building he laid hands upon. It was also one of his latter works, and there are strong visual reminders that his theology had by this point expanded far beyond mere ecumenicalism, but that's another story.

The sanctuary was constructed in commemoration of the tragic volcanic innundation of the nearby town of El Portón on 15 January 1979. Almost no one survived. There is an interesting story connected to this tragedy. As the lava flood surged along the route of the railway, the passengers prayed to la santísima Virgen for protection. Headed towards a particularly precarious bridge and with no way to stop (for fear of instantly being submerged by the lava, and, immediately on the heels of that, an unprecedented flood), the train somehow crossed the bridge safely. Less than a minute later the entire bridge and its pilings were buried. The surviving passengers attributed their lives to the Virgin's intercessory powers, vowed to build a shrine in her honour, and so came to be the sanctuary.

The building is utterly unlike anything else you'll ever see, let alone Jesuit-inspired mission churches. A testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome loss and sorrow and find hope anew, Mariano de la Torre "Virgen de la Asunta" is as much a masterpiece as Roth's more traditional efforts. He enlisted the support of some of Europe's finest artists along with the very best local talent, resulting in a chapel that literally stuns visitors into awed silence. The handiwork is incredible, from the famous "árbol de la vida" (tree of life) that forms the central support for the building, to the individual Stations of the Cross, which incorporate images of the suffering of El Portón into their scenes.

La Torre with Santuario Mariano de la Torre in foreground: Chochís

As with Santiago de Chiquitos and Roboré, Chochís has a reputation as a paraíso escondido (hidden paradise). Life passes very slowly here. This is a wonderful place to relax and soak up the energy that surrounds the area. Outside of town (which means just about everywhere), your first stop should be La Torre, a bizarre, jagged granite tower that is a landmark for miles and miles. Many legends surround this place, some of them not so pleasant. (Its other name is "el muele del diablo" - the devil's tooth.) The pinnacle has long been reputed to be a source of extraterrestrial energy, and indigenous peoples and townsfolk alike occasionally make the 350-step trek to its peak to renew their own energy. The ancients believed the area was sacred, as it was impossible for them to imagine this rocky tower simply cropping up out of nowhere. People come from as far as Japan and Australia to try to pinpoint the source of the radiant energy (which may be electromagnetic), but no one has yet succeeded in giving a defensible explanation for it.

Just as Santiago has its Valle de Tucavaca, so Chochís has its Valle de Turuquapá, a stunningly beautiful hidden valley with mesas and canyons shaped by millennia of wind and water. It is impossible to see Turuquapá and not be moved. The views afforded here are not found anywhere else on earth, and are so pristine as to resemble what some geologists and botanists have called "a living prehistoric ecosystem". The valley is best seen from the air at sunset, but is accessible by auto or on horseback, too.

Approaching the incredible Valle de Turuquapá: Chochís

As with most of the towns in the region, outside of Chochís one can find several examples of prehistoric carvings and paintings (especially at Pesoé), innumerable swimming holes, and hot springs (likewise, ask for directions to Las Pozas, Motacusal, and the beautiful waterfall Cascada Velo de la Novia). These are not identified anywhere, but all the locals will know them and how best to get there.

Place to Stay in Chochís

When to Visit Chochís

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