MISIÓN JESUÍTICA DE SANTÍSIMA TRINIDAD DEL PARANÁ

It is one of the most visited sites in the country. The ruins of Santísima Trinidad del Paraná were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993, along with the nearby ruins of Jesús de Tavarangué. These are the only two sites in Paraguay on this prestigious list. The Trinidad reduction is considered to be the most complete and best-preserved architectural ensemble of all the reductions of the Treinta Pueblos of the Río de la Plata basin (straddling the present-day states of Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay), established by the Society of Jesus during the 17th and 18th centuries. However, it is rarely visited and it is still common during the week to find oneself alone in the middle of the ruins! The mission of Santísima Trinidad del Paraná was founded in 1706, in the east of Uruguay, and then moved to flee the attacks of the Brazilian bandeirantes, kidnappers of Indians to convert them into slaves. The mission moved to the present site six years later, in 1712, under the direction of the priest Juan de Anaya. The ruins clearly show the unique urban structure of the Jesuit reductions, which can be found in all the missions of the region. A map at the entrance shows the spatial organization of Trinidad: the vast central square (Plaza Mayor), 200 m by 130 m, where religious processions, cultural activities (theatre, music) and group weddings (priests married about 30 couples at the same time once a year) were held. The central square is framed on three sides by 8 casas de indios (out of the original 21), well preserved. These houses consisted of rooms with 5 meters sides, separated by thick walls. In each room lived an Indian family. On the fourth side of the Plaza Mayor is the main church (Iglesia Mayor), the work of the Italian Jesuit architect Giovanni Battista Primoli (who designed the layout of the mission in general). Adjacent to the church is the cloister and adjacent courtyards for the college and workshops, and on the other side is the cemetery and orchard. There is also an older church (Iglesia Primitiva) and a bell tower (Torre del campanario or Torre Atalaya). At the top of this watchtower, on a clear day, you can see the ruins of Jesús, about ten kilometres to the northwest. The two missions used to communicate with each other with mirrors and smoke signals (from 1759, when the Jesús de Tavarangué reduction was installed). Next to it is another cemetery, where until recently the inhabitants of the village of Trinidad were buried. In the main church, built between 1740 and 1763, the Baroque ornamentation is very rich. One will notice a frieze carved into the stone, illustrating a procession of dozens of small angel musicians, playing the harp, violin, trumpet, bassoon, or maracas, an indigenous instrument. It is one of the rare testimonies of the presence of music in Jesuit missions. There is also a large stone lectern and several sculptures with interesting morphological details. The crypt was the tomb of the Jesuit priests, when their bodies were not repatriated to Europe. The Guarani caciques were buried under the floor of the church in the fetal position. In one of the two sacristies, a small museum exhibits beautiful pieces of carved stone and engravings, some of which have retained their original colours. In the nave, the statues of the twelve apostles appear headless. They were beheaded by looters thinking they'd find the gold hidden by the Jesuits! On the other hand, in a niche outside, there is an intact statue of Saint Paul armed with his sword.

After the expulsion of the Society of Jesus by King Carlos III in 1767, the mission of Trinidad was entrusted to the Franciscan friars. The decline of the mission was rapid. The Guarani gradually abandoned the mission, which lasted only about thirty years after the departure of the Jesuits, before being invaded by vegetation for two centuries. Excavation and restoration only began in the 1970s and intensified in the 1980s. The ruins are now open to the public every day of the year. It is advisable to take a guide from the Senatur (free) to enjoy the visit more. Recently, two guides from the neighbouring Guaraní community were trained. The site is accessible to people with reduced mobility and there are billboards in Braille. Guided tours can even be conducted in sign language. The Missions of Trinidad and Jesús are a must during a stay in Paraguay, and it is recommended that you visit the two nearby missions. A Luz y Sonido ("Sound and Light") guided tour takes place from Wednesday to Sunday at 8:30 pm. The ruins are illuminated as you walk along, illuminated by the sounds of nature, missionary life, and music. This night tour is quite magical, and can be combined (if you have a car or a taxi), with the "3D Mapping Video" of the Jesús ruins, which starts at 7:30 pm and lasts 20 minutes.