San Ignacio Jesuit Missions and Wanda Mines - Full-Day Tour

General information

Destination
Iguazu Falls, Brazil

Program details

Visit the Wanda Semi Precious Stone Mines, located 40 km from Puerto Iguazú on National Route N°12. Wanda city offers a unique attraction which are the semi precious stone mines, the only ones you can find under an open sky. Agates, quartz, crystal rocks, amethyst and topazes are extracted from these mines, surrounded by huge pine, tea and green tea plantations that constitute the main regional economy.



In San Ignacio, on the National Route Nº12, 63 Km from the capital of Misiones, Posadas, and 237 Km from the Iguazú falls, you can find the San Ignacio Ruins, declared by the UNESCO World Wide Heritage Site. A true historical monument located over 8 hectares has overcome 450 years of existence.



Entering the mission, the visitor can reconstruct a silent and majestic surrounding, how the Jesuits and Indian coexisteed. More than 3.950 guaraní Indians settled in these reductions, many of them seeking shelter and protection from slavery supporters. Whoever walks through the ruins, will sight cottages for the single (far away from the ones destined to families) and the town council.



On the other side of the square, forming a single landscape you can find the work shops, the classroom, the mission’s dormitories, the kitchen and the dining room. And last of all, like a symbol of their evangelistic mission (the church) where you still can appreciate the hundred year old graves to understand the significance and historical importance.



First of all you will access a walk through an interpretative circuit that will flashback you back to the XVII century with different rooms that tell the history of the conqueror’s arrival. The culture and Guaraní religion even scale models of haw this place was like. History, legends and nature magically woven to remind us a chapter of our beginnings.