The centre

The central square, Plaza 10 de Febrero, is named after the anti-Spanish revolt of 1781 and is surrounded by grand colonial buildings, notably the baroque concert hall, now Cine Palais, the Prefecturaand the Alcaldía Municipal.There is also a statue of Aniceto Arce, former president and founder of the Bolivian railways. The colonial ambiance is marred by the new Hotel Edén (under construction in 2008), which looks rather like a rocket ship behind a colonial facade. Another impressive colonial building is the post office at Calle Presidente Montes, half a block from the plaza.

The Casa de la Cultura, was built by French architects in 1900-13 as a mansion for the 'King of Tin', Simón Patiño. It now houses the Museo Simón, run by the Universidad Técnica de Oruro, which contains colonial art, French Louis XV furniture, and also houses temporary exhibits.

The Santuario de la Virgen del Socavón - worship of the Virgen del Socavón (Virgin of the Mineshaft) - the focus of miners' Christian beliefs - began at this site in the 16th century and the first church was built in 1781. The present church was built in the 19th century. Outside is a monument to miners. Inside the Santuario are the Museos Sacro y Minero.The Museo Sacro has religious art, clothing and jewellery, which for several centuries were placed on the fresco of the Virgen (the practice stopped after 1990 when the image was restored) and a collection of costumes used for carnival. For the Museo Minero, from the back of the church you descend through some of Oruro's oldest surviving mining tunnels past displays showing mining techniques to reach a representation of El Tío, the god of the underworld and the focus of miners pre-Christian beliefs .

Iglesia San Miguel de la Ranchería is the oldest church in the city, built in 1595 and used to convert the local people. It contains much original colonial art both from this church and the former Jesuit church; now displayed in a museum. Other interesting churches include San Franciscoin Calle Bolívar near Soria Galvarro, which has an 18th-century façade, and Santo Domingoin Calle Ayacucho next to Mercado Fermín López. It was started in 1602 but was subsequently remodelled in the 18th and early 20th centuries.

The Faro de Conchupata, at Calle Presidente Montes y Montecinos is easily seen at night; its torch-like glass structure atop a column is illuminated. It marks the first place where the present Bolivian flag was raised in 1851 and gives a good view over the flat city below.

Beyond the centre

Museo Mineralógico y Geológico is part of the University and dispalys fossils and 5500 rock samples - one of the largest collections in South America.

Museo Antropológico Eduardo López Rivas has a rare collection of stone llama heads, pre-Hispanic mummies, artefacts from the Uru, Wankarani and Chipaya peoples and carnival masks and costumes. It also has a good selection of postcards and an artesaníashop.

Casa Arte Taller Cardozo Velásquez offers contemporary Bolivian painting and sculpture displayed in the Cardozo Velásquez home, a family of seven artists.