The Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos are located in the northeast of Bolivia, at slightly over 200 Km from the city of Santa Cruz, the capital city of the department.To travel to Chiquitania is to be transported to the world of the missions and discover the towns founded by the Jesuits at the end of the 17th century, where they wanted to turn a marvelous utopia into reality: creation of the “City of God” on earth, with peaceful evangelization and civilization of the native peoples.

Nestled in the Bolivian jungle, the Jesuit Missions are the principal settlement of the Jesuits in the new world. They stayed in the Chiquitana land for less than one century, creating admirable societies in terms of productivity, order and architecture.

The Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos have survived for over three centuries. Created between 1691 and 1760, they awaken the admiration and interest of visitors admiring the architecture of their mestizo baroque churches, with a remarkable collection of paintings, murals, magnificent golden altars, colossal columns with wood carvings and a variety of beautiful carvings adorning the altarpieces, pulpits and cabinets. The churches emulate the appearance of European construction because of the influence of Swiss priest and principal architect of the Mission, Jesuit Martín Schmid, who in a joint effort of the indigenous peoples and the Jesuits built these impressive churches which are a reflection of how the techniques learned by the natives become art enriched with their own visions.

In these villages from which the Spaniards were banned, the indigenous people did not only learn to farm and to do all sorts of handwork, but they were introduced to the world of painting and sculpture, music and dance to praise the Lord. The wealth of the baroque music composed and played at the missions, and the scores of which are a unique collection in America and are now kept at the Chiquitos Archives in Concepción, is shared with the public every two years during the International Festival of American Renaissance and Baroque Music "Mission of Chiquitos". The magnificent churches, the urban structure and the memory of religious and folkloric customs are still retained today. Because of the high artistic level and the deep cultural significance of the works, in 1991 UNESCO declared the towns of San Javier, Concepción, San Miguel, San Rafael, Santa Ana and San José de Chiquitos as World Heritage sites.

The (partially restored) churches of these missions are true architectonic jewels that have not been abandoned and that still have a religious function in the villages. Built in the mestizo baroque style, they have beautiful murals, altars, and columns, pulpits and cabinets carved in wood. They also stand out because of their originality, both in terms of their structure and in terms of their colors, ornamentation and the materials used.

The Mission of San Javier laid the groundwork in terms of the architectural and spatial organization, defining a kind of modular structure with a large square around which the church, cemetery, schools, workshops and houses were arranged. This arrangement was repeated, though with some variations, in the other Jesuit missions.

Many music festivals are held here based on the Chiquitos Music Archives, for example the International Festival of American Renaissance and Baroque Music. Descendants of the Chiquitano people make their own instruments, which they use at patron saint and other religious celebrations. In the patron saint festivities, groups of Chiquitano people dress in typical mission outfits and represent different traditional characters.

The following Missions can be visited along this Jesuit route:

Jesuit Mission of San Javier: The baroque church was built between 1749 and 1752, and restored between 1987 and 1993. It is part of the first Jesuit mission of Chiquitos founded in 1691. The building invites you to discover and enjoy the artistic beauty of its architecture with ornamental carvings of the columns and drawings on wood in yellow, brown and black tones. Jesuit Mission of Concepción: This mission has a baroque Jesuit church (built between 1752 and 1753, and restored and opened again in 1982) with a nave of three bodies, rows of carved wooden columns, altars and paintings made by the local population. This church is considered the jewel of the region; at sunset the church offers an unforgettable sight.

Jesuit Mission of San Ignacio: San Ignacio was founded in 1748. San Ignacio, together with Concepción and San José de Chiquitos, is considered one of the three principal Jesuit Missions. Today, it is the biggest town in the mission circuit, with a population of around 35,000 inhabitants. The culture in San Ignacio has rather more links to that of Brazil compared to any other place in Bolivia, and the people are among the friendliest in the world.

Jesuit Mission of Santa Ana: Santa Ana de Velasco, founded in 1755 by Jesuit missionary P. Julián Nogler. In this settlement, the completely original church is still intact. This church was built after the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767. Santa Ana is a small and quiet village with hardly 280 inhabitants where time seems to stand still.

Jesuit Mission of San Miguel: San Miguel was founded in 1721; it is a small town with less than 5,000 inhabitants. Similar to the other communities of Santa Ana and San Rafael, San Miguel is a quiet place where time seems to have stood still over the last three centuries. Its church is considered the historically most correct example of all restored Jesuit churches.

Jesuit Mission of San Rafael: San Rafael, the second oldest mission, was founded in 1696. Moved once in 1701 and then in 1750, it shares many characteristics with the other missions: a timeless charm, a quiet life and faithfulness to their traditions inspired by the Jesuits.

Jesuit Mission of San José: San José de Chiquitos, the third oldest mission in Chiquitania, was founded in 1696. It is one of the four missions still located on its original place of foundation. The city is fairly quiet, a bit like Santa Cruz 50 years ago: wide and dusty streets taken from a Wild West movie, complete with cowboys, ranchers and a dusty but charming central square.