The discovery of a mountain made of silver led to Potosí's founding in 1545
The 1545 discovery of a 'mountain of silver' in Bolivia led to the founding of Potosí, a city that would eventually produce the wealth required to fuel the Spanish Empire.
In 1545, Spanish explorers founded Potosí at the foot of the Cerro Rico, a mountain containing the world's largest silver deposit. The city grew with staggering speed, becoming one of the wealthiest and most populated places on Earth. At its height, Potosí's silver funded the Spanish Crown's global ambitions and shaped the modern international economy.
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