la historia curiosa del "Rockefeller de los Andes" // the curious story of the "Rocke
- Sep 3, 2016
- 2 min read
In exchange for some evening and weekend classes, we Quechua students have many of our afternoons free. Naturally, the five of us wanted to take advantage of our time and explore our new city before we become too busy with homework and life! So, on Tuesday, we all decided to meet at the Palacio Portales, a tucked-away time capsule that reflects Bolivia's extractivist history.
A tour guide led us through the gardens, which reminded me of Versailles and other European estates. The many species of plants and trees from around the world were peppered with marble statues and small ponds. We soon arrived at the main attraction, the mansion-- called "Palacio Portales" for its palace-like luxury and large, tall doors that could be seen from far away (portales).
As our guide explained, Palacio Portales was the estate of Simón Patiño, one of the so-called tin barons who made millions from tin mines in Bolivia. Patiño came from a humble background, born to a poor family in the Cochabamba valley in 1860. As a young man, Patiño moved to Oruro to work in a mining supply store. In 1895, he bought his first share in a mine called La Salvadora, and the following year, he bought the rest. Little did he know that La Salvadora contained one of the largest deposits of high-grade tin in the world.
In just a few years, La Salvadora became Bolivia's most productive mine. Patiño used his new wealth to buy more mines and connect them by railroad. By 1920, he controlled about half of the country's total tin output, and he continued to buy other mines in Bolivia and around the world.
Patiño came to possess an estimated fortune of $100 million, making him one of the richest men in the world of his time. However, Patiño's wealth had a dark side. The miners that he employed worked long hours in terrible conditions, experiencing oppression and low wages. Some evidence suggests that Patiño had Nazi sympathies and helped support the Franco government during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).
Stepping inside Patiño's yellow-and-white painted mansion was like stepping back in time. The home was built in European style, with luxurious marble, tapestries, silk paneling, paintings, and furniture. The main hall was designed to imitate the Vatican, and the game room was inspired by the Alhambra.
The opulent palace was completed in 1927, but--surprisingly--it was never inhabited. Patiño spent his last years in London, Paris, and the south of France. He died in 1947 in Buenos Aires, leaving behind his estate to be enjoyed by the public. Today, the Palacio Portales complex contains the house, the gardens, a public library, and an art gallery. The mansion itself is used as a venue for piano concerts and other cultural events.
Oddly juxtaposed with the bustling modern city of Cochabamba, the tranquil estate of Palacio Portales is an interesting look into the lives of the powerful tin barons who virtually controlled Bolivia for most of the 20th century. It is at the same time beautiful and disturbing. I think I'd like to come back to enjoy the gardens-- but I won't be surprised if I hear the ghosts of miners whispering through the trees.
Works Cited:
Fundación Simón Patiño
http://centropatino.fundacionpatino.org/areas/palacio-portales/
Lonely Planet
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bolivia/the-southwest/cochabamba/sights/castles-palaces-mansions/palacio-portales
Rough Guides
http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/south-america/bolivia/the-southern-altiplano/oruro/the-king-of-tin-simon-patino/
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