San Pedro del Paraná: plaza, casas de adobe y puerta a San Rafael

San Pedro del Paraná is about 360 km from Asunción on Route PY01 and 85 km from Encarnación. In the central sector, around the Epifanio Méndez Fleitas square, examples of old Paraguayan architecture remain: houses with adobe walls, tacuarilla-and-palm roofs, openings fitted with traditional hinges and the typical verandas held up by wooden pillars. There are also palace-like façades recalling the Italian immigrants who settled here. The church of San Pedro Apóstol, the patron saint's place of worship, retains walls, timberwork and an interesting main door from the old building, although it has been extended. The district has hills suited to farming and cattle, plus the Tebicuary river basin with its streams. Cerro San Rafael (165 m a.s.l.) is in its territory, along with the San Rafael ridge, home to one of Paraguay's most important biodiversity reserves.

San Pedro del Paraná was founded on 29 June 1789 in the presence of governor Joaquín Alós y Brú and chief Bobí, who supplied provisions and local produce to the new settlers. One rural district is called Campamento Cué: local memory says the residentas camped there during the Triple Alliance War; another version says Manuel Belgrano's forces did in 1811.