Cochabamba: Spanish Colonial City Model and the Latin American City Model

A look at downtown

70 Main Square of Cochabamba: Plaza 14 de Septiembre. 77 Bus Terminal of Cochabamba 66 and 67: The Cancha, Cochabamba's largest market. 66 is La Pampa and 67 is Calatayud

Cochabamba fits the Spanish Colonial city. It has segregated functions throughout the city; certain items can only be found in a specific stretch of road. This is also reflected in its market LA CANCHA. As one can see from the map, the city has been laid out in a grid pattern- true to colonial cities. Most of the streets in the downtown area are narrow streets with only room for one-way traffic. As one can see on this map, the downtown is bordered by 4 larger, two-way streets: Avenida Ayacucho, Avenida Aroma/ Calatayud, Avenida Oquendo and Avenida Heronias. All the other roads within this section are one-way streets.

A one-way street in Cochabamba

Avenida Las Heroinas

Like all old Spanish Colonial cities, Bolivian towns or cities have at least one major square which marks the center of the urban space. Cochabamba is no exception. On the map above, all the green spaces are various plazas of each neighborhood. The main plaza, called 14 de Septiembre is located near the corner of Ayacucho and Heronias. The plaza marks the centrality of the city. The street direction (Ayacucho North or Ayacucho South) start at the plaza.