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Pyramid scheme: pear-shaped

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Catherine Deshayes

UN World Heritage Sites can take many forms, but once gained they are a hugely significant asset to hold onto - not least because they can be a real boon for an area's tourist sector - but now, in a misjudged bid to attract more visitors, the town of Tiwanaku in the Bolivian Andes has done a disastrous DIY renovation project on its famous Akapana pyramid - which could see it being stripped of its Heritage status...

The pyramid, which stands in the Tiwanaku archeological site, 40 miles north of Bolivia'sadministrative capital of La Paz, is one of the biggest pre-Columbian constructions in South America .

It has great spiritual significance for the Tiwanaku civilization, which spread throughout southwestern Bolivia and parts of neighboring Peru, Argentina and Chile from around 1500 BC to AD 1200.

The National Archeology Union, UNAR, which undertook the botched renovation job chose to rebuild the pyramid using adobe rather than the traditional stone.

They decided to renovate the pyramid after years of strong winds and extreme weather made it look run down.

But, the result has meant that the pyramid may have its World Heritage status removed and, even more catastrophically, the structure may collapse altogether.

The possible collapse is due to the lower decks of the pyramid now being slightly tilted as the adobe walls and heavier than the original stone walls.

The town relies on the tourist dollar and the makeover was done in a bid to make the pyramid more attractive to them, in the hope of boosting numbers further - currently, the structure attracts thousands every year.

But, Culture Minister Pablo Groux dismissed the criticism and said the renovation was long called for.

"The UNAR has restored the original form the pyramid had. If we look at pictures from five years ago, there was just a hill there. What we can see now is something close to what the construction originally looked like," he said.

UNESCO is due to visit the pyramid soon to decide whether it should be stripped of its heritage status. It would be a huge blow for the town's tourism sector and economy if the organisation decides to do so.

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