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A Perfect Community in Sao Miguel das Missoes

Not yet published by Vanessa Boiser

Country: Argentina

The Experience

Sao Miguel das Missoes, located in Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, is the site of an old ruins where a perfect society was said to have lived. You will find yourself having mixed feelings of awe and regret that it fell to ruin. The Sao Miguel das Missoes was built by Jesuit missions who subtly gained power and were attacked by state- and church-backed marauders in the late 1700. It is a place where natives were converted to become a sophisticated society that produced their own laws, music and arts. Consequently, the buildings with superb architecture and the sophisticated culture fell into ruin. But evidences of their existence and stories passed from generations of Guarani Indians will always bring us back to its glorious past. Presently, the only structures left standing are foundations of the red-brick church, a cross and a statue of St. Michael the Archangel defeating the devil represented as half-man, half-woman.

Photos

Map

Puzzle

When to Go

The best time to visit the Sao Miguel das Missoes is from December-March during summer because the place also experiences occasional snow during the winter. It is good to spend at least 2 days in Sao Miguel das Missoes to experience the light and sound show in the evening with authentic Guarani Indian music is played on the background. Historical enthusiasts will be treated to a unique architecture and culture that has once been prosperous throughout the area. Presently, you can still find Guarani Indians selling their goods in the Sao Miguel das Missoes. Do not forget to buy something when you get to visit. Sao Miguel das Missoes tour guides will also play some of the musical pieces originally written by the Guarani Indians who lived in the 1700s. This is an awe-inspiring evidence of the once sophisticated culture that grazed the area. Some tourists even buy a CD that contains the same music. Music sheets were found in Bolivia just recently and were arranged to create a Guarani Indian music album. You may also buy one to support the preservation of the missions.

Odds n' Ends


To get there, look for car rental services available, they are abundant in the area. You may also earn discounts if you booked in advance. Sao Miguel das Missoes is a pretty long drive from Porto Allegre. Make sure you are well-stocked for food and water before going on a drive to the Sao Miguel das Missoes. As for the type of clothes to wear, summer in Brazil can get very hot, so wear light and comfortable clothes and shoes. Women tend to be dressy in that area so it is advisable to bring a dress or two. Don’t forget to bring swimwear since you might also want to check out the coast after you’ve traveled to the Sao Miguel das Missoes.

There are lots of good hotels and pension houses near the Sao Miguel das Missoes ruins. These are most recommended:

Wilson Park Hotel
Website: www.wilsonparkhotel.com.br
Tel.: 55-55-3381-2000

Pousada das Missoes (located just 90meters away from the ruins)
Website: www.pousadatematica.com.br

Missoes Turismo
Website: www.missoesturismo.com.br
Tel.: 55-55-3381-1319

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Video

Books and DVDs

Argentina Travel Guide - Lonely Planet
Tackle the tango in a Buenos Aires milonga. Bite into the world's most heavenly beef. Gallop with gauchos across the Pampas. Better and cheaper than ever, Argentina beckons!

Elsewhere on the Web

São Miguel das Missões - Wikipedia.org
São Miguel das Missões (Portuguese for the "St. Michael of the Missions") is a Unesco World Heritage site since 1983 located in the small city of São Miguel das Missões in northwestern Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil.
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis - UNESCO.org
The ruins of São Miguel das Missões in Brazil, and those of San Ignacio Miní, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María la Mayor in Argentina, lie at the heart of a tropical forest.
Travel Report Argentina - Voyages.gc.ca
TRAVEL WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

Media References

In South America, Missions of a Lost Utopia - NY Times.com (newspaper)
THE sun was already low in the sky when I arrived at the 17th-century Jesuit mission known as Trinidad, deep in the back country of southern Paraguay. It was late on a warm Saturday afternoon in October, and I was heading across a grass plaza to the main church, intent on examining a richly ornamented frieze depicting chubby angels playing musical instruments.

Language Guides

Italian , Japanese , Spanish are some of the languages spoken in Argentina. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

Discussion

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