We stayed at dump called Alta Motel in San Ignatio, on the main road. Our overnight stay here was to see some of the surrounding reductions - Santiago, Santa Rosa and Santo Maria de Fe. We should have stayed in Santa Maria de Fe at the Santa Maria Hotel
Santiago
It is an old Jesuit Mission and has a museum that preserves objects of art from colonial times (museum being closed when we were there). There really was not much to see here. The remains of the reduction settlement could be clearly made out, that is a large open square, a church and some of the casas de los indios. But apart from visiting the church, we were quickly on our way.
“Santiago” or “Santiago de las Misiones” was founded originally in the banks on the Apa River with the name “San Ignacio de Caaguazú”. Later was re-founded in 1669 in the place where it is today with the name of “Santiago Apóstol”.
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Santa Rosa
The city was founded in 1698 by Jesuit Priest Ranzonier, and it was settled by families coming from the city of Santa Maria de Fe. Today, one of the most important Jesuit Reductions of Paraguay. The original church was burned in 1883 and only the original bell was preserved. To this day the bell is still in use, as part of the newer temple built on the site. When we were there everything was closed, so all we could do was wander round the square
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Santa Maria de Fe
Santa María de Fe is about 15 km from the town of San Ignacio. It was founded in 1647 as "Our Lady of Terah", by Father Emmanuel Berthod of Caaguazú lands. The military harassment by Portuguese bandits forced him to move to the current site.
This Jesuit missions had the first printing press in South America. The original church was destroyed in a fire in 1889. Fortunately, a number of its images were saved and can be admired in the church today and the Museum installed in one of the "houses of Indians". This museum houses dozens of beautiful images, including the group of the Nativity, testimony to its rich cultural and religious past. Includes works in polychrome wood sculptures.
Jose Agustin Molas, one of the Catholic priests who participated in the revolution for the independence of Paraguay, was born in 1787 in Santa Maria de Fe .
One can see the original layout of the Jesuit reduction, with the square, church and Casa de los Indios. The museum is housed in one of these houses and the little hotel in another
We managed to see the inside of the church, and the chap in attendance was in the fact the man who had carved the new doors for the church.
We returned the next morning to see the museum. One has to get the curator out of their nearby house, and she comes and shows you round. The 6 rooms are full of the carved wooden statues that were rescued from the original church
The Santa Maria Hotel looked very interesting, but we did not have time to explore it. Undoubtedly we should have stayed here. The hotel was set up by Margaret Hebblethwaite who in fact was the author of the Bradt guide to Paraguay that we were using. She lives in Santa Maria, but was apparently away in the UK over Christmas and New Year.
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Yaguaron
We never got inside the church. Arriving after midday, we were told that the church would be open at 1.30. We sat patiently outside the building, but 1.30 came and went, without sign of the guardian, so we just continued on our way.
Yaguaron contains a famous and visually stunning church, the building of which, led by Fray Alonso de Buenaventura, started in 1640 and took 60 years to complete. The Iglesia de San Buenaventura, is considered to be one of the most beautiful in all of Paraguay. Completed in 1772 it is, both externally and internally, enchanting.
Externally the geometric proportions of this extensive structure are harmonious; particularly the ratio of its height to its overall width and the division made between the main body of the church and its surrounding colonnades. The impressive roof is self supporting on colossal 30 metre high wooden columns; whilst the very thick adobe walls are simply to contain and define the inner space. On the left of the church the free standing wooden bell tower has been restored over the years; but its design has not been significantly modified, and is typical of those that once graced many of the early religious settlements.
Internally the large and magnificent wooden alter, rich in allegorical details and themes, dominates the church. The highly decorated and ornate hexagonal pulpit is surmounted by a dove, and supported from beneath upon a giant's head. The high panelled ceiling is richly decorated; in summary the interior of this church presents both a sumptuous, and yet equilibrated, whole.
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San Ignatio
We stayed here at Hotel Altamirano. It is a slightly run-down motel, on the main Route 1 from Encarnation to Asuncion, and a couple of kms out of the small town of San Ignatio. We just had the one night here, and it is about half way between Asuncion and Encarnation. The purpose of the stop was to visit local Jesuit reductions. A much better choice would have been Hotel Santa Maria in Santa Maria de Fez The night we were at Hotel Altamirano the restaurant was closed, and we had difficultly finding anything close by. The breakfast was appalling - a few plastic wrapped small trays of supermarket buns The motel rooms are basic, but clean. Oddly they have quite smart bathrooms The best advice I can give the traveller is to avoid this motel
San Ignatio itself is a busy small town on the main road between Asuncion and Encarnation, with an unwieldy one way system to expedite the passage of the through traffic. There was an interesting church (closed) and there were a few remains of the original reduction. Also a museum- closed. The modern town has all but wiped out traces of the original settlement
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