Cmasi · CC BY-SA 4.0Yabebyry y sus dos iglesias frente a frente
An 1790 village in the far southwest of Misiones, with an old church and a modern one facing each other.
What it is
Yabebyry lies in the far southwest of Misiones department, on a plain of broad grasslands from which a few hills rise. Its most striking feature is a square with two churches, the old and the modern, facing each other as symbols of two eras. The old church keeps the image of San Francisco, donated, according to tradition, by Marshal Francisco Solano López during his visits to the village to see Juanita Pesoa, his companion. The village was founded in 1790 under governor Joaquín de Alós y Brú. The district (980 km²) lies within the Ñeembucú ecoregion, with large floodplains, and holds the Yabebyry Wildlife Refuge, a 30,000-hectare protected area of lagoons, marshes and forests.
What to see and do
- Old church with the image of St Francis
- Square with two temples from different eras
- Prairie and marsh scenery
- Yabebyry Wildlife Refuge (check access)
Did you know…?
The two churches share a square and face each other: the new one did not replace the old, which still stands.
The district borders Ayolas, Santiago, San Ignacio Guazú, Argentina and Ñeembucú department.
History
The village was founded in 1790 when Joaquín de Alós y Brú was governor of Paraguay. Its link to Great War history runs through Juanita Pesoa, a local native who also appears in the Isla Umbú museum and the historic house in Pilar.
Tips
- Combine it with Santiago and Ayolas on a route through southern Misiones.
- To enter the refuge, check with the reserve administration or the municipality.
Check opening hours before you go.
Best time: Autumn and spring.
Activities
Festivals and events here
Nearby
Ayolas · Misiones
Ayolas
Paraguay's dorado capital: sport fishing, white-sand beaches and the Yacyretá dam next door.
Laureles · Ñeembucú
Laureles y su plaza yere colonial
A village founded in 1790 that keeps a big square with arcaded colonial houses and the January cattle-country festival.
Ayolas · Misiones
Represa de Yacyretá, Isla Yacyretá y Refugio Atinguy
One of the continent's great hydroelectric dams, with guided tours, a wildlife refuge and an island reserve.
Cerrito · Ñeembucú
Cerrito: Itá Punta, laguna Sirena e Isla Pombero
Ñeembucú's "summer town": white-sand beaches on the Paraná, a lagoon and an island 15 minutes away by boat.
Santiago · Misiones
Santiago: museo jesuítico y Fiesta de la Tradición Misionera
Jesuit carvings, a complete altarpiece and, every January, the great gaucho festival of Misiones tradition.
San Ignacio · Misiones
San Ignacio Guazú y su Museo Diocesano de Arte Jesuítico
Paraguay's first Jesuit reduction keeps thirty Guaraní Baroque carvings in a living museum.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.