Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Santa Cruz de la Sierra is Bolivia's commercial center and the capital city of the Santa Cruz department. It stands on the Pirai River in the tropical lowlands east of the Andes Mountains. Founded by the Spanish in the 1500s, today it's a cosmopolitan hub with museums, restaurants and nightclubs. Its historic core is anchored by the rose-brick Metropolitan Cathedral on Plaza 24 de Septiembre, the central square.