Chochís
Chochís is a small village of a few hundred inhabitants located in the province of Chiquitos. The name Chochís comes from a plant used for its textile fibre. Originally, the village was a simple camp used during the construction of the railway linking Santa Cruz de la Sierra and the Brazilian border.
The nature around the village is splendid, including the Torre de Chochís and the Sanctuary Mariano de la Torre.
Walking around Chochís
I went on several short hikes in the Serranías de Chochís leading to lovely views of the rock formations dotting the plain.
Mariano de la Torre Sanctuary
The shrine was built by the architect Hans Roth, the specialist responsible for the restoration of the Jesuit missions in Chiquitania. It was built between 1988 and 1992 to commemorate those who died as a result of the natural disasters of 15 January 1979. On that date, the rains buried part of the village of El Portón, located a few kilometres from Chochís, killing 16 people. In addition, a section of the railway line was also washed away by the rains and several people died in the derailment that followed...
There is a small chapel at the sanctuary and everywhere there are beautiful wood carvings by many local artists.
The village of Chochís
Camping at César's place
During my stay in the region, I camped for a few days with César, a talented artist specializing in woodcarving.
Caesar created many of the sculptures that can be admired in the sanctuary of Chochís.
