Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos

Between 1691 and 1760 Jesuits established a chain of missions among the Chiquitano peoples of the eastern lowlands, and unlike the Paraguayan reductions, which were abandoned and became ruins, these were kept in use by the communities after the Jesuits were expelled in 1767, so they survive as working churches in living towns. Six are inscribed: San Javier, Concepción, Santa Ana, San Miguel, San Rafael and San José. The buildings are unlike anything else in the Americas, timber-framed with turned columns, adobe walls, painted and carved facades and mica-flecked interiors, designed by the Swiss Jesuit Martin Schmid and built by Chiquitano craftsmen. The musical tradition survived too: thousands of pages of Baroque scores were preserved and are performed at a biennial festival.

What you actually see

• Timber-columned churches - carved wooden posts carrying the roofs.
• Painted facades - the decorated fronts at San Javier and Concepción.
• Chiquitano carving - altarpieces and pulpits made by local craftsmen.
• The music archive - Baroque scores preserved and still performed.

When to go

April to October, the dry season, when the roads between the towns are reliable. The Baroque music festival falls in even-numbered years around April and fills the circuit. Heat is significant year round.

Honest expectations

The circuit is a long drive between towns on roads that vary in quality, and doing it properly needs three days or more. Churches keep local hours and may be closed at midday. Accommodation in the smaller towns is basic. Restoration varies between sites.

Nearby

San José de Chiquitos is at the southern end; Santa Cruz lies west.