Misión Jesuítica Guaraní de San Cosme y Damián
Home of the Southern Hemisphere's first astronomer
About Misión Jesuítica Guaraní de San Cosme y Damián
The Jesuit Guaraní Mission of San Cosme y Damián was founded in 1632 by Jesuit priest Adriano Formoso and, after several relocations, was permanently established at its current site in 1718. Unlike Trinidad and Jesús de Tavarangüe, this site is not part of UNESCO's inscribed World Heritage list: it appears only on Paraguay's Tentative List, pending eventual inscription.
Its most distinctive feature is that it retains the old Jesuit school building standing, the only one to survive intact among the region's 30 historical Guaraní reductions. Inside, 22 wood-carved images from the colonial era are on display, several with their original polychrome finish. The mission was also home to Jesuit priest Buenaventura Suárez, remembered — with some historiographical nuance — as a pioneer of astronomical observation in the southern hemisphere; his legacy is preserved today at the neighboring Astronomical Interpretation Center.
The entry ticket (40,000 guaraníes for foreigners, valid for 72 hours) is shared with Trinidad and Jesús de Tavarangüe, allowing visitors to tour all three Itapúa missions with a single pass. The combination of Jesuit-Guaraní architecture, colonial art, and astronomy makes this site a distinct stop within the missions circuit.
Opening Hours
- Monday 07:00–21:00
- Tuesday 07:00–21:00
- Wednesday 07:00–21:00
- Thursday 07:00–21:00
- Friday Today 07:00–21:00
- Saturday 07:00–21:00
- Sunday 07:00–21:00
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Address
Julia Miranda Cueto, San Cosme y Damián, Itapúa, San Cosme y Damián, Itapúa