Just seven kilometers from the Estancia El Colibri, the Santa Catalina Jesuit mission was founded in 1622. It is known across the country for its colonial baroque church, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Following the expulsion of the Jesuit order, Don Francisco Antonio Diaz acquired the estancia, which still belongs to his descendants.
On the square of Cordoba city there is the Jesuit Museum where you can find some Jesuit tapestries and relics from long-lost local Indian religions. It is said that Cordoba is the best place to start from in order to know more about Jesuit history. Since 2000, the city has boasted Unesco world heritage status, thanks to its Jesuit block, which includes a stone church, priests’ residences and one of the oldest universities in South America (1613).
The Jesuits came up with the concept of the working Estancia. There are a few still standing up. One of them is Estancia Caroya (14 kms from the Estancia), Alta Gracia (115 kms from the Estancia) where the museum of Che Guevara also stands and Santa Catalina (7 km from the Estancia).
