Rodney Damián · CC BY-SA 3.0Fortín Toledo y Proyecto Taguá
A Chaco War fort that is now a refuge for the taguá, the peccary once thought to be extinct.
What it is
About 40 km from Filadelfia, Fortín Toledo brings together memory and conservation. The Toledo Museum shows objects found on site, period photographs, military items and busts, and a trail leads to the trenches and to the cemeteries of Paraguayan and Bolivian soldiers. Next door, the Chaco Center for Conservation and Research (the Taguá Project) breeds and studies the taguá, or Chacoan peccary, an endangered species and an emblem of the dry Chaco. Seeing these animals up close and listening to the people who care for them is an experience that's hard to forget.
What to see and do
- The Toledo Museum, with wartime objects and photographs
- Trail to the trenches
- Paraguayan and Bolivian cemeteries
- Taguás at the Taguá Project and a talk on their conservation
Did you know…?
The taguá (Catagonus wagneri) was described in 1930 from fossils and was believed extinct; its discovery alive in the Chaco was published in 1975.
Soldiers from both sides of the Battle of Toledo rest in its cemeteries.
History
The fort was founded on January 21, 1927 by Captain Federico Wenman Smith to guard the border and protect the Mennonite colonies; it's named after Colonel Felipe Toledo, a hero of the War of the Triple Alliance. Between February 26 and March 10, 1933 it was the scene of one of the great battles of the Chaco War, which left more than a thousand dead on both sides.
Tips
- By prior reservation only, through the Fernheim tourist office (Filadelfia) or on +595 985 820 746.
- Bring water and sunscreen; there are no shops on site.
- Don't feed or touch the animals.
By prior reservation; ask about times and the suggested contribution (check before you go).
Best time: May to September, early in the day, when the animals are most active and the heat eases off.
Activities
Festivals and events here
Nearby
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Museo Casa de la Colonia (Koloniehaus)
A 1933-1934 building raised by communal effort: it was the administrative seat of the Fernheim colony and is now its history museum.
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Museo Industrial de Filadelfia
Agricultural and industrial machinery inside the Fernheim plant, with the 1957 refinery building as its centrepiece.
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Museo Hogareño Knelsenhaus
A 1948 house turned into a Mennonite home museum, with furniture and utensils of the Chaco's first settler families.
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Filadelfia (Colonia Fernheim)
The Mennonite capital of the Chaco: wide streets, pioneer and cooperative museums, and the best base for exploring the region.
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Museo al aire libre Ruedas Pioneras
A park at Filadelfia's east entrance with the settlers' first vehicles: the "Laurita" locomotive, the Mennonite cart and more.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 6 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.