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Iglesia de la Encarnación

Church

A monumental, unfinished church on a downtown hill, with a dome, a pipe organ and a museum devoted to Pope Francis.

in Asunción

30 min – 1 hourDuration

₲₲₲Budget or free

DirectionsSee on map

What it is

From afar, its silhouette of a European basilica is striking: a columned façade, a tower and a dome. Inside, a central nave, four side aisles and twelve chapels are lit by dozens of windows. It was never fully completed and is in need of restoration, which gives it a melancholy, highly photogenic air. On its grounds, the Pope Francis Museum displays objects used during the 2015 papal visit.

What to see and do

The façade and dome seen from Calle 14 de Mayo
The five-aisled interior and twelve chapels
The Pope Francis Museum

Did you know…?

It's one of only two churches in the country with a pipe organ.

The parish had six different locations before settling on this hill.

One of its earlier sites, a former Dominican convent turned barracks, had a graveyard where Dr. Francia, Paraguay's first dictator, was buried.

History

The parish of La Encarnación, one of the city's oldest, moved six times after 1539. Work on the current church began in 1893 under Italian architect Juan Colombo and was never finished. During the Chaco War (1932–1935) it served as a field hospital. It was declared a National Historic Monument by law in 1992.

Tips

The church opens mainly at Mass times; the parish office is open Monday to Saturday mornings (check before you go).
Combine it with the Museo de las Memorias and the Museum of Sacred Art, both very close by.
Dress respectfully.

Mass Tuesday to Friday at noon and on weekends; parish office Monday to Saturday 8:30–11:30 (check before you go).

Best time: In the morning or at sunset, when the light sets off the façade.

Activities

Photography Museums Faith & pilgrimage History & missions

Festivals and events here

Apr

International Jazz Day in Asunción

Jazz concerts at cultural centers and stages around the capital to celebrate the genre’s world day.

MusicAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)May→ Jun

Asunción International Book Fair (FIL)

Ten days of books, authors and language: the country’s great literary festival, with free entry and a guest country.

CulturalAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Featured May

Independence Days (May 14 and 15)

Two public holidays for the 1811 independence: flags, ceremonies, sopa paraguaya and chipa guasu all over the country.

CulturalAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Aug

August 1: National Carrulim Day

On the first day of August people drink carrulim—cane liquor, rue and lemon—to ward off the ills of the most dreaded month.

TraditionAsunción y todo el país, Varios Aug

August 15: Founding of Asunción and Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption

The birthday of the Mother of Cities coincides with the feast of its patron saint: Mass at the Cathedral, a public holiday and cultural events.

ReligiousAsunción, Asunción (Distrito Capital)Featured

Guided visits

Municipalidad de Asunción (Dirección General de Cultura y Turismo)

Misterios de la Encarnación

A monthly tour of the Church of the Encarnación, with stories, legends and a climb to the rooftop with views of downtown.