Jesuit missions among the Guaraní, Religious ruins in San Ignacio, Argentina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Five stone structures from the 17th century spread across Argentina and Brazil contain churches, residences, workshops, and indigenous quarters around central squares.
The Jesuit order established these settlements between 1609 and 1767 to protect Guarani communities from Spanish colonists while introducing European agricultural methods.
These missions merged European architectural principles with Guarani traditions, developing a new architectural style that incorporated local materials and indigenous designs.
The San Ignacio Mini ruins provide guided tours in multiple languages, with visitor centers offering detailed information about the missionary system.
The missions formed an extensive network of thirty settlements connected by paths and waterways, creating a self-sustaining economic system across modern-day Argentina and Brazil.
Location: São Miguel das Missões
Location: San Ignacio
Location: Loreto
Location: Santa Ana
Location: Santa María
Inception: December 29, 1609
Fee: Yes
Address: Dr. Luís Terwindt, Jesús de Tavarangüe 071503, Paraguay 071503 Jesús de Tavarangüe
Opening Hours: Monday-Tuesday 07:00-19:00; Wednesday-Sunday 07:00-20:00
Phone: +595986633651
Website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/275
GPS coordinates: -27.25528,-55.53167
Latest update: May 26, 2025 19:14
Paraguay features a combination of natural sites, historical structures, and cultural institutions. In the capital Asunción, central buildings include the López Palace, the National Museum, and the National Pantheon of Heroes. The waterfront promenade runs along the river. The city contains several museums, including the Barro Museum with folk art and the Independence House. Religious structures include the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. The Botanical Garden includes a zoo. The Itapúa region contains two Jesuit reductions: Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangüé, both from the 17th and 18th centuries. In Ciudad del Este, the second largest city, modern shopping centers include Nissei and Monalisa, along with the Itaipú hydroelectric dam on the Brazilian border. The Monday Falls are located nearby. The Friendship Bridge connects Paraguay to Brazil. Natural areas include Lake Ypacaraí, a 90 square kilometer lake (35 square miles) near Asunción, and Ybycuí National Park with hiking trails and waterfalls. San Bernardino on the shores of Lake Ypacaraí has a viewpoint and a church. The Siete Saltos waterfalls are in the northern Salto del Guairá region.
São Miguel das Missões
173.1 km
San Ignacio Miní
0 m
Mission Nuestra Señora de los Tres Reyes de Yapeyú
276.8 km
San Roque González de Santa Cruz Bridge
36.1 km
Playa San José
35 km
La Santísima Trinidad del Paraná
21.8 km
Jesús de Tavarangüé
31.2 km
Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangüé
31.2 km
Mission São João Batista
174.2 km
Integration Bridge
158.2 km
Teyú Cuaré
6.5 km
Nuestra Señora de Loreto
8.6 km
Parque Temático de la Cruz
21.9 km
Nuestra Señora de Santa Ana
16 km
Santa María la Mayor
73 km
Parque Provincial Salto Encantado
73.1 km
Mission São Lourenço Mártir
156.8 km
Mission Museum
172.8 km
St. Joseph's Cathedral, Posadas
37.9 km
Centro del Conocimiento
45.5 km
Casa de Gobierno de Misiones
37.9 km
Catedral San Antonio de Padua
48.1 km
Sítio Arqueológico de São Nicolau
106.8 km
Anfiteatro Manuel Antonio Ramírez
37.4 km
Horacio Quiroga Municipal Museum
2.3 km
Cathedral of the Incarnation, Encarnación
34.6 km
Museu Getúlio Vargas
162.9 km
Anibal Cambas Regional Museum
37.5 kmReviews
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