We left Foz today to head west on a multi-day effort to reach Bolivia via Salta. I had expected a driving day, but at lunch time we were shouted tickets to the Jesuit Ruins of St Ignacio, which are one set of 32 such ruins in South America and probably the best preserved.
These were built with help from the local Gurani Tribe in 1666, however the main church took 27 years to complete and is simply magnificent. The total buildings cover an area of 8 hectares today and originally 16 hectares and are huge, surrounding a large town square with the church at the head, surrounded by the priests cloisters, a libraray, printing shop, kitchen and workshop, with the indigenous housing in rows at the other end of the square.
The larger buildings, including the church were constructed originally of heavy timber beams, brought to site on ox carts. They followed a careful design by a recognised italian architect. The timber buildings were then surrounded by Barouque stoneworks, some of sandstone and some of basalt. The total was over 15 metres tall, now remaining at about 10m and are magnficent. It must have been a spectacular and peaceful place when operating, which it did for over 160 years.
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