A former Jesuit mission for evangelising the indigenous Guaraní, San Ignacio was founded in 1610 in the region of Guayrá and was moved to its current location in 1696. Throughout the 18C, it had a population of around 3 000 inhabitants. Since the site was rediscovered, in 1878, a vast restoration project has gone some way to returning it to its former glory. The visitor centre offers an excellent introduction to the visit.