Misión Jesuítica de Jesús de Tavarangüe
The most imposing unfinished church of the Jesuit missions
About Misión Jesuítica de Jesús de Tavarangüe
The Jesuit Mission of Jesús de Tavarangüe was founded in 1685, originally near the Monday river, and later relocated to its current site (sources do not agree precisely on the exact year of the final move). Together with the neighboring Trinidad mission, it has formed part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangüe" since 1993.
Its main attraction is the great church, conceived as a replica of the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Italy, whose construction was left unfinished after the Jesuits' expulsion from Spanish territories in 1767. The monumental structure — with a central nave of roughly 70 by 24 meters — features round arches and side chapels that let visitors picture how the finished temple would have looked. Of the rest of the mission complex, only a room of the old school building still stands.
At night the ruins host a 3D video-mapping show (installed in 2018) projected onto the unfinished façade. The same ticket that grants access to Trinidad and San Cosme y Damián — 40,000 guaraníes for foreigners, valid for 72 hours — covers all three missions on the Itapúa Jesuit circuit.
Opening Hours
- Monday 07:30–19:30
- Tuesday 07:30–19:30
- Wednesday 07:30–19:30
- Thursday 07:30–19:30
- Friday Today 07:30–19:30
- Saturday 07:30–19:30
- Sunday 07:30–19:30
Services
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Contact
Address
Dr. Luís Terwindt, Jesús de Tavarangüe, Itapúa, Jesús de Tavarangüe, Itapúa