Mission Nuestra Señora de los Tres Reyes de Yapeyú

Mission Nuestra Señora de los Tres Reyes de Yapeyú is a mission ruin on the right bank of the Uruguay River in the town of Yapeyú. The remains show stone walls, foundations, and earthworks that still reveal the shape of the original complex.

Jesuits founded the settlement in 1627 near the river to ease trade and spread Christian teachings. Portuguese troops destroyed the complex in 1817 during conflicts over control of the region.

Early Jesuits moved with the tribes from place to place until the settlement found a permanent site. For over a century, residents spoke multiple languages and combined European building methods with techniques they inherited from older generations.

The ruins are accessible several days a week and offer a walk through the former center. A short visit is enough to see the main areas, but more time allows for deeper understanding.

The ruins stand at the southernmost point of the Jesuit missions in this part of America. From here, priests and traders traveled further south, where few other settlements existed.