Panteón Nacional de los Héroes…: things to see in Paraguay

Garcia.dennis · CC BY-SA 4.0

Asunción, the capital Asunción

Panteón Nacional de los Héroes y Oratorio de la Virgen de la Asunción

Must-seeMonument

The domed shrine where the great names of Paraguayan history rest, watched over by soldiers in full dress uniform.

30 min – 1 hourDuration

₲₲₲Budget or free

DirectionsSee on map

What it is

Beneath its dome, in a hush that contrasts with the bustle of Calle Palma, lie the remains of Carlos Antonio López and Francisco Solano López, marshals José Félix Estigarribia and Bernardino Caballero, General José Eduvigis Díaz, presidents Eligio and Eusebio Ayala, poet Emiliano R. Fernández and the Child Martyrs of Acosta Ñu, among others. The building is also an oratory dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption, the city's patron saint. The honor guard, standing motionless at the entrance, is part of the show; on Saturday mornings the changing of the guard draws onlookers to the square.

What to see and do

The solemn changing of the guard, every Saturday at 10:00
The crypt holding the remains of the López family, Estigarribia and the Child Martyrs of Acosta Ñu
The oratory of the Virgin of the Assumption, with Mass on Sundays at 10:30
Flag raising at opening (5:45) and lowering with a bugle call at 17:00 (except Sundays)

Did you know…?

Its design is inspired by Les Invalides in Paris and recalls the Parisian Panthéon, according to Paraguay's National Tourism Secretariat (SENATUR).

It took more than seventy years to finish: work began in the 1860s and it opened in 1936.

Beside Marshal Estigarribia lies his wife, Julia Miranda Cueto: both died in a plane crash in 1940.

In front of its portico, at the corner of Palma and Chile, is Kilometer Zero, the point from which Paraguay's national highways are measured.

History

Francisco Solano López launched the project in 1863–1864 as an oratory for the Virgin of the Assumption, designed by Italian architect Alejandro Ravizza. The War of the Triple Alliance left it unfinished for decades; Polish engineer Brunon Edward Paprocki finally completed it, and it was inaugurated as the national pantheon on October 12, 1936.

Tips

Admission is free; dress respectfully and keep your voice down inside.
On Sundays it closes at noon.
Combine it with Plaza de los Héroes, Calle Palma and the Lido Bar, right across the street.

Daily from 5:45 to 17:00; Sundays until noon, according to SENATUR (the newspaper ABC Color lists Tuesday to Sunday, 7:00–17:00). Free admission (check before you go).

Best time: Saturday at 10:00 to catch the changing of the guard; cool mornings any time of year.

What to try

Quick Paraguayan fare at the Lido Bar, a classic at the corner of Palma and Chile

Activities

Guided tour Photography History & missions Faith & pilgrimage Living culture

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