The Jesuit Ruins of San Ignacio are located in the northeast of the province of Misiones, they are the most emblematic reductions of the Society of Jesus in America and those in the best state of restoration are from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In 1984 they were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The ruins are located in the town of San Ignacio on the banks of the Yabebirí River, where in 1610 Fathers José Cataldino and Simón Maceta sent by the Society of Jesus (It is a religious order of regular clergymen of the Catholic Church, its members are commonly known as Jesuits it was founded in 1534 by the Spanish Ignacio de Loyola) they established the Mission of San Ignacio Miní that had the objective of evangelizing the native Guarani.
The building style of this establishment is called "Baroque - Guaraní" and it was completely finished in 1696. Around 1715 there were about 4000 people living and its close relationship with the Paraná River allowed the town to maintain a constant exchange with the other reductions region of.
In 1767 the Jesuits were expelled from America by King Carlos III of Spain and in this way the reductions were abandoned and the jungle began to advance over them, it should also be noted that in 1817 the Paraguayan troops pulled down a large part of the building establishments until in 1940 the protection and restoration of the entire area began.
The layout of the city is one of the most notorious works of the Jesuits: The main square (current central courtyard), the town hall, the church, the houses of the religious and the natives, the cemetery, the hospital, the school, the workshops and warehouses are part of the constructions that gave shape to this kind of town. Most of the constructions were made with local stone: red sandstone.
The life of the mission revolved around the central plaza. The main entrance was a central street whose perspective was focused on the portal of the temple. Some of the immense red stone walls remain standing despite the years and still show traces of the Baroque decoration ornamented with figures of angels, doves and flowers.
Of these constructions within San Ignacio Miní, the church forms one of the most impressive buildings and is currently one of the most visited on the route. Its façade is in the Baroque style with reddish bricks, its interior, 74 meters long by 27 meters wide, was 15 meters high in its origins. At present you can see 10 meters high on its side walls.
At the entrance to the ruins you can also visit a small museum that keeps archaeological remains of great value, such as carved stones, tools and musical instruments, among other things.
In the museum there is a model with the urban distribution of the reduction: there is the Church, to its right you can see the cemetery divided into 4 sectors, by two intersecting streets. You can also see a structure called cotiguazú where widows, orphans and the elderly lived, who were helped and supported by the entire community. In the middle of the model is the central courtyard or the parade ground.
If you want to know more about this wonderful heritage, I recommend you take into account all the information that I mention below:
Visiting hours to the Ruins of San Ignacio
The ruins of San Ignacio are open every day from 7 am to 7 pm. The tour normally lasts about 2 hours.
If you are going to visit them, you can pay the entrance fee at the entrance to the ruins (You enter through Alberdi street and San Martín avenue) in cash or with credit and debit cards.
San Ignacio Ruins Excursions
To fully enjoy your walk through the Ruins of San Ignacio, it is advisable to do it with one of the tours that include transfers and specialized guides.
The best is the tour to the Ruins of San Ignacio that begins in Puerto Iguazú with departures on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In the case of coming from Posadas, the meeting point with the guide is at the entrance to the establishment. It lasts a total of 9 hours and you will be able to learn more about the Jesuit Ruins built 400 years ago, their culture and history. They will take you on a tour of the Guaraní town, where they grow sweet grass and herbalists.
Another of the recommended tours is that of Light and Sound, it is an attractive and different proposal for visitors. It is an open-air show, in the Plaza de Armas itself, where with light and sound, fragments of their history are told and constructed.
The techniques of the work are projections on water mist screens, where the figures are shown as specters, those who interact with digital characters, combined with multi-colored lights and quadraphonic sound, the entire show is made with advanced technology.
The show can be heard in other languages ??through individual devices offered by the organization. The work of Luz y Sonido can be seen every day, as long as it does not rain, from 7 pm on the premises. In shifts for 100 people, performed on demand in various functions. Tickets for this tour are obtained at the ticket office at the main entrance to the Ruins of San Ignacio.
Where are the Ruins of San Ignacio
The ruins are located in the town of San Ignacio, 64 kilometers from Posadas and 245 kilometers from Puerto Iguazú.
The town of San Ignacio has as its main attraction the Jesuit ruins, which are accessed from other destinations through National Route No. 12, which communicates to the southwest with the towns of Santa Ana and Posadas, and to the northeast with the well-known Puerto Iguazú.
From the center of San Ignacio you can reach the ruins on foot or by car, since it is 1.2 kilometers away, the access is very well signposted. You enter through Alberdi Street and San Martín Avenue.
Distance from Iguazú
The Ruins of San Ignacio are located 245 kilometers from Iguazú. It can be reached from the city by car through the RN12, the travel time is approximately 3 hours.
Another option is to go by bus from the Puerto Iguazú bus terminal (Av. Misiones 1-99) with the
Crucero del Norte line that has a frequency of 3 hours every day. The duration of the trip is approximately 4 hours.
How to get to the Ruins of San Ignacio
- From Iguazú:
If you want to go from Iguazú by car, you have to go 245 kilometers through the RN12, the travel time is approximately 3 hours.
Another option is to go
by bus from the Puerto Iguazú bus terminal (Av. Misiones 1-99) with the
Crucero del Norte line that has a frequency of 3 hours every day. The duration of the trip is approximately 4 hours.
-From Posadas:
The ruins are located 64 kilometers from Posadas. The options to get there are
by car or by bus. In the first case, you have to go from the city center along RN 12 for 1 hour until you see the signs for the town of San Ignacio. This route is asphalt and is in excellent condition with police controls.
In the case of going by bus, these must be taken at the Posadas bus terminal, located on Quaranta avenues and Santa Catalina avenues. The lines that leave you at the entrance to the ruins are: Crucero del Norte, Río Uruguay and Horiansky. Departures are throughout the day.