Josep M. Gracia · CC BY-SA 4.0San Cosme y Damián: misión y Centro de Interpretación Astronómica Buenaventura Suárez
The mission where a Jesuit studied the stars in 1703; today, a planetarium, telescopes and dark skies beside the Paraná.
What it is
A quiet town on hills facing the Yacyretá reservoir, with a mission unlike the others: here the church is still in use, and the two-story college survives, with traces of original paint on the ceiling. Inside are 22 wooden carvings, some with Indigenous features. On the same grounds, the Astronomical Interpretation Center has a planetarium featuring Guaraní constellations, a gnomon, an armillary sphere, and solar and night-sky telescopes. The reservoir scenery and the town's community-tourism workshops and fairs round out the visit.
What to see and do
- The mission church with 22 polychrome wooden carvings
- The planetarium and stargazing with solar and night telescopes
- The Jesuit sundial
- Boat trips on the reservoir (the sandbanks, or 'dunes', have all but disappeared: ask locally)
Did you know…?
Buenaventura Suárez built his instruments with Guaraní help; his observations became known to astronomers in Europe.
The stone sundial from the Jesuit era still stands in the mission courtyard.
Its two-story college is the only one still standing among the thirty Jesuit-Guaraní towns.
History
The reduction (Jesuit mission town) was founded in 1632 by the Jesuit Adriano Formoso and moved several times before settling on its current site in 1718. From 1703, Father Buenaventura Suárez worked with the Guaraní to build telescopes, quadrants and a sundial, and published the 'Lunario de un siglo' (A Century of Lunar Tables). The church was damaged by fire in 1899, restored in 1977 and reconsecrated in 1978.
Tips
- The 72-hour ticket for the Itapúa missions includes the night-time telescope session.
- For stargazing, pick moonless, clear nights; winter is usually ideal.
- The reservoir's sandbanks, or 'dunes', once the main draw, have gradually eroded away and by 2024 had stopped being a tourist destination according to Wikipedia; SENATUR still promotes them, so ask in town before booking a boat trip.
- Patron saints' festival around 26 September, the feast day of Saints Cosmas and Damian.
Every day, daytime visits 7:00-18:00 (winter) or 7:00-19:30 (summer); night-time telescope viewing Wednesday to Sunday from 20:00 (winter) or 21:00 (summer), according to SENATUR. Check before you go.
Best time: Year-round; clear autumn and winter nights for astronomy, summer for the beach.
What to try
- River fish at the town's guesthouses
- Chipa (cheesy cassava bread) from the Coronel Bogado area, 40 km away
Activities
Where to stay
Festivals and events here
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Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 7 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.