Jesuit Missions

From Iguazu Falls, we stayed on the Argentina side to visit the ruins of a Jesuit mission at San Ignacio Mini, then crossed over to Paraguay to visit two more missions. The region had more than 30 such missions. Much bigger than California missions, these missions each had thousands of indigenous population and only a few Jesuit priests. They were a lot more autonomous. There were no colonists. A major incentive for the natives to join the missions was to elude the slave raiders from Brazil. As far as colonialism goes, this seemed rather mild and gentle, therefore it was eventually dismantled by its enemies and critics.

Though the three sites fall under two separate UNESCO listings, we expected them to be overpriced and underwhelming, but actually turned out to be rather edifying and engaging.

We saw many pine tree plantations, saw mills, and lumber yards on the bus from Puerto Iguazu to San Ignacio.




The bus dropped us off on the side of the road. From there it was a 1 kilometer walk carrying our backpacks to the ruins.




UNESCO Marker.


The massive church, with two angel reliefs above the entrance (see first below), was not completed before the Jesuits were expelled from all Spanish territories.




Housing for the indigenous people.


The large arcaded cloister.


Looking across the Plaza de Armas towards the church.


Back on the main road waiting for the bus to take us from San Ignacio towards the Argentina-Paraguay border.


Crossing the border on the International Bridge from Posadas, Argentina to Encarnacion, Paraguay.


We stayed in an apartment near the Encarnation long distance bus terminal. In the morning, a bus and taxi got us to Jesús de Tavarangüé Mission, located about 45 kilometers east of Encarnacion.


This site was easy to tour; there was a free audio guide. Below is a photo of the ruins of the church. It has 2 massive pulpits, left and right, "good and evil" said the attendant.










After this Mission, we hitched a ride to the next one; La Santísima Trinidad. This site was the most visited of the three. And was "accessible".




Another massive pulpit.


Surviving statuary, and ornamentation. Check out the keyboard player in the relief 3rd below, and harpist 4th below.








Not to mention a small crypt under the church floor.


There was a not-attached-to-the-church bell tower.


Huge site.




We waited for over an hour to catch a bus back to town, but did see some "local color".