Villarrica del Espíritu Santo (), is a city in
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
. Located in the middle of the Eastern Region of Paraguay, it is the capital and most populous city of
Guairá Department Guaira may refer to:
* Guayrá, a former region of the Spanish Empire in what is now modern Paraguay and Brazil
* Guaíra Falls, former waterfalls on the Paraná River along the border between Brazil and Paraguay Brazil
* Guaíra, Paraná
Gu ...
.
It is located to the center west of Guairá and is bordered to the east by the towns of
Mbocayaty and
Yataity
Yataity is one of the districts of the Guairá Department, Paraguay. Is located east from Asunción. This district is considered the capital of the ao po'i.
Characteristics
It is considered as a little and peaceful city with its big houses w ...
, to the west by
Itapé
Itapé is a town in the Guairá Department of Paraguay located by shores of the Tebicuarymi River.
It was founded in 1682 as a Catholic mission for indigenous people by Buenaventura de Villasboa, a mestizo priest from the extinct convent of Santa ...
and
Félix Pérez, to the east by
Independencia,
Ñumí
Ñumí (Paraguayan Guaraní, Guaraní: ''Ñumi'') is a district of the Guairá Department, Paraguay.
Is located to the south of the city of Villarrica, Paraguay, Villarrica, the capital of the department, and to the east of the San Salvador d ...
and
Garay, and to the south by
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
and
Borja.
Founded in 1570 by
Sevillian
Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula.
Seville ...
Ruy Díaz de Melgarejo, it is one of the oldest settlements in Paraguay. Nevertheless, the original foundation site was located within the extinct
Spanish province of Guayra in what is now the state of
Parana in
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. The residents of Villarrica were forced to relocate seven times during a timespan of more than 100 years. These relocations were mainly caused by the repeated attacks from the neighbouring
portuguese bandeirantes
''Bandeirantes'' (; ; singular: ''bandeirante'') were settlers in colonial Brazil who participated in expeditions to expand the colony's borders and subjugate Indigenous peoples in Brazil, indigenous peoples during the early modern period. T ...
but also by political and economical issues. They were finally settled in its current location near Ybytyruzu hills in 1683. As a result, the city got the nickname of "Wandering City".
After the end of the
Paraguayan War
The Paraguayan War (, , ), also known as the War of the Triple Alliance (, , ), was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It wa ...
in 1870, Villarrica experimented a rapid economical and populational growth becoming the second most important Paraguayan city after the capital
Asuncion. Nowadays, the city is still a well-known cultural hub.
History
Background
The
Tordesillas Treaty signed by
Castile and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
set ambiguous borders between the two empires in
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. Portugal took an aggressive and expansionist policy usually disrespecting the agreements of the treaty. Meanwhile, the
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
in
Asuncion decided to settle more towns to the east closer to the Portuguese border to reinforce their territorial claims.
In the 1550s, what is now Paraguay was a province of the
Governorate of New Andalusia
The Governorate of New Andalusia was a Spanish Governorate of the Crown of Castile in South America which existed between 1534 and 1542.
History
The governorate was created as one of King Charles V's grants of 1534, establishing the ''adelanta ...
and was ruled by Captain
Domingo Irala. Under the command of Irala, they founded a city named ''Ontiveros'' to continue the conquest of the lands to the east of
Asuncion known as the ''lands of Guayrá''. In 1557,
Ruy Diaz Melgarejo founded another city in Guayrá named ''Ciudad Real'' with the purpose of reducing the abuse that the Portuguese were inflicting on the
Cario Indigenous tribe but also due to the strategic location as a trail towards
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. A couple of years later, the interim Governor Felipe de Cáceres has a personal dispute with Melgarejo and drives him out of the office of governor of the
province of Guayra. Cáceres appoints an
Andalusian conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...
named Alonso Riquelme to replace Melgarejo. When Riquelme arrives in Ciudad Real, Melgarejo has him arrested, incarcerated and later banished to a cabin forty
leagues away of the town.
Settlement
In the 16th century,
Melgarejo
''Melgarejo'' is a 1937 Argentine film directed and written by Luis Moglia Barth during the Golden Age of Argentine cinema. The film premiered in the US on September 19, 1937 and starred Santiago Gómez Cou and Mecha Ortiz. Editing to the film ...
departs from Ciudad Real with 40 men and 53 horses towards the East where he expected to find mines of
gold
Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
and
silver
Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
. After arriving in the lands of
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Associated with India
* of or related to India
** Indian people
** Indian diaspora
** Languages of India
** Indian English, a dialect of the English language
** Indian cuisine
Associated with indigenous peoples o ...
chief
Chief may refer to:
Title or rank
Military and law enforcement
* Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force
* Chief of police, the head of a police department
* Chief of the boat ...
named Cuaracybera (Shining-Sun), he settles a new town on May 14, 1570, and names it ''Villa Rica del Espíritu Santo'' (Wealthy village of the Holy Ghost) because of the belief that there were precious metals in the area and because the date was near the
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
festivity of the
Holy Ghost
Most Christian denominations believe the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, to be the third divine Person of the Trinity, a triune god manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each being God. Nontrinitarian Christians, who ...
.
In 1592, explorer Ruy Díaz de Guzman moves the city 100 km east. In 1599, he moves it again, this time near the Mboteitei River, 100 leagues from Asunción. After long years of peaceful existence, the city was invaded in 1632 by the
bandeirantes
''Bandeirantes'' (; ; singular: ''bandeirante'') were settlers in colonial Brazil who participated in expeditions to expand the colony's borders and subjugate Indigenous peoples in Brazil, indigenous peoples during the early modern period. T ...
, and after 4 years of pilgrimage the population settles near
Mbaracayu hills. Two years later, Governor Valderrama determined to situate it in the fields of Yaru. In 1642, the population moves again this time to
Curuguaty
Curuguaty (; originally called Villa de San Isidro Labrador de los Reyes Católicos de Curuguaty) is a city and a district in the Canindeyú Department of Paraguay, that was the 4th and last capital of Paraguay during the Paraguayan War in 1869� ...
. In 1678, the population settled close to the Tobatyry River, in a place called
"Espinillo". The soil was no good for agriculture so many people decided to do a recognition expedition of the area beyond the
Tebicuarymi River.
On the other side of the river, they found fertile land and several
streams
A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long, large stream ...
near the Ybytyruzú hills so they requested the Spanish Governor's authorization to move the city again. On May 25, 1682, the Governor issued the license to settle in Ybyturuzú to await the
King
King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
's official approval. On May 14, 1701 King
Philip V Philip V may refer to:
* Philip V of Macedon (221–179 BC)
* Philip V of France (1293–1322)
* Philip II of Spain, also Philip V, Duke of Burgundy (1526–1598)
* Philip V of Spain
Philip V (; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was List of Sp ...
issues the
Royal Order
In Belgium, a royal decree (RD) or royal order ( in Dutch, arrêté royal in French, or königlicher Erlass in German) is a federal government decree implementing legislation, or exercising powers the legislature has delegated to the crown as se ...
that approves the permanent settlement of the city in Ybyturuzú. This date became the ultimate date of foundation. The
Franciscan missionaries
The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest contem ...
helped the town's stabilization, founding the Guaraní
Mission
Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to:
Geography Australia
*Mission River (Queensland)
Canada
*Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality
* Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood
* ...
of
Itapé
Itapé is a town in the Guairá Department of Paraguay located by shores of the Tebicuarymi River.
It was founded in 1682 as a Catholic mission for indigenous people by Buenaventura de Villasboa, a mestizo priest from the extinct convent of Santa ...
1600s to 20th century

The
Franciscan friars
The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest contem ...
in an effort of educating the population and gaining souls to the Catholic faith ran a convent that worked as an elementary and secondary school from the 1600s until 1818 when
Gaspar de Francia the dictator of Paraguay had it shut as part of his policy of retaining absolute control over the country. Schools were reopened in 1844 after Francia died but only to be shut again in 1865 with the declaration of the Paraguayan War. When the war was over in 1870, Villarrica had a very small population due to the large casualties. In 1888, the railway got to Villarrica which started a rapid population and economical growth.
From 1892 to the beginning of the 1900s, the city received an important influx of
Italians
Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...
,
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
,
Spaniards
Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance-speaking ethnic group native to the Iberian Peninsula, primarily associated with the modern nation-state of Spain. Genetically and ethnolinguistically, Spaniards belong to the broader Southern a ...
,
Germans
Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...
,
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium CE. They traditionally speak Yiddish, a language ...
,
Argentines
Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...
,
Uruguayans
Uruguayans () are people identified with the country of Uruguay, through citizenship or descent. Uruguay is home to people of different ethnic origins. As a result, many Uruguayans do not equate their nationality with ethnicity, but with citizen ...
and a lesser number of
Lebanese,
Croats
The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...
and
Greeks
Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
. These immigrants helped develop the industry, the culture and the education making Villarrica the second most important city after the capital,
Asuncion. However, the two Paraguayan civil wars had a deep effect in the city, especially the so called
Revolution of 1947 when the Paraguayan military took over and cause the migration of thousands of Paraguayans and an important part of Villarrica intellectual people spread across the country or made it to Argentina. A similar phenomenon occurred from 1954 to 1989 with the political persecutions during the regime of
Alfredo Stroessner
Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda (; 3 November 1912 – 16 August 2006) was a Paraguayan politician, army general and Military dictatorship, military dictator who ruled as the 42nd president of Paraguay from 15 August 1954 until his overthrow in 19 ...
. By the end of the 20th century Villarrica had lost its prominent position within the country to newer settlements like
Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este (, Spanish for Eastern City; often shortened as CDE) is the second-largest city in Paraguay and capital of the Alto Paraná Department, situated on the Paraná River. It is located 327 km east of Asunción, the capital, and i ...
,
Encarnacion and
Luque
Luque () is a city in Central Department of Paraguay, part of the Gran Asunción metropolitan area. Both 1635 and 1750 have been recorded as dates of its founding. It was temporarily the capital of Paraguay in 1868 during the Paraguayan War ...
.
Geography
The district of Villarrica is located 20 km to the west of Ybytyruzu hills, 172 km to the east of
Asunción
Asunción (, ) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of Asunción in the north ...
, 237 km to the north of
Encarnación and 217 km to the west of
Ciudad del Este
Ciudad del Este (, Spanish for Eastern City; often shortened as CDE) is the second-largest city in Paraguay and capital of the Alto Paraná Department, situated on the Paraná River. It is located 327 km east of Asunción, the capital, and i ...
. Within the
department of Guairá, it is located in the central-western region at a height of about 200m above sea level. The municipal territory has roughly a shape of a triangle and has an area of 247 km
2.
Geology and Orography
The soil is composed of
sandstones
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains, cemented together by another mineral. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed o ...
interbedded with
shales
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g., kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...
and
oolitic calcareous formations. In the alluvial plains of the Tebicuarymí River, there seems to be
Quaternary
The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), as well as the current and most recent of the twelve periods of the ...
sediments.
The soils of the urban area are mainly sandy hills, with gentle slopes in the northern area and slightly steeper slopes in the south. Good drainage and no rockiness are also observed. Both in the urban area of Villarrica and in 14 de Mayo area (on the way to Ñumí) you can find
ferruginous
The adjective ferruginous may mean:
* Containing iron, applied to water, oil, and other non-metals
* Having rust on the surface
* With the rust (color)
See also
* Ferrous, containing iron (for metals and alloys) or iron(II) cations
* Ferric, cont ...
laterites
Laterite is a soil type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by intensive and prolo ...
and they occur in thick layers that support small topographic elevations. Due to the heavy deforestation, one can observe primitive tree species almost exclusively in areas of difficult access such as banks of streams. A great variety of grasses and palm trees grow In its terrain of undulating plains,. Grass can be natural grasslands or cultivated in order to feed cattle. The current extension of the palm groves is small but is increasing due to
soil degradation
Soil retrogression and degradation are two regressive evolution processes associated with the loss of equilibrium of a soil health, stable soil. Retrogression is primarily due to soil erosion and corresponds to a phenomenon where succession revert ...
.
Hydrography

Due to the particularly isolated location of Villarrica, there is no river that reaches its municipal territory. Instead, the city is irrigated by a network of tributary
streams
A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long, large stream ...
of the river Tebicuarymi. The type of drainage is centrifugal and good internal drainage in the urban area. There are springs that drain to the south, to a stream named Guarapo and this one drains to the Bolas Cuá stream basin.
To the north there is a stream named Bobo that serves as the border with the town of
Mbocayaty. Almost parallel to the Bobo stream, there is one of its tributaries called Mitay. Mitay stream which serves as the limit between Villarrica and
Yataity
Yataity is one of the districts of the Guairá Department, Paraguay. Is located east from Asunción. This district is considered the capital of the ao po'i.
Characteristics
It is considered as a little and peaceful city with its big houses w ...
. To the west there is a tributary of Mitay stream named Kaundy. Kaundy is the border between Villarrica and
Félix Pérez. Both Kaundy and Bobo are tributaries to Mitay stream. Mitay feeds into Tebicuarymi river to the northwest.
Three streams in the urban area named Itacua, Carumbey and Ycuaangua feed into another stream named Yhu. Yhu is a tributary of Bolas Cua and its confluence is located in the hamlet of Caazapami to the southwest of the municipality. In the southeastern end of the municipal territory, in an area named 14 de Mayo, there is a stream named Remansito which is the limit between Villarrica and the town of
Ñumí
Ñumí (Paraguayan Guaraní, Guaraní: ''Ñumi'') is a district of the Guairá Department, Paraguay.
Is located to the south of the city of Villarrica, Paraguay, Villarrica, the capital of the department, and to the east of the San Salvador d ...
. The Remansito runs slightly to the southwest. The Ovie stream is located southeast of the municipality between the areas 14 de Mayo and Lemos and runs towards the southwest until it merges with the Remansito to form a new stream named Bolas Cua. The Bolas Cuá stream, initially runs to the southwest where it serves as the border between Villarrica and
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
. However, when crossing the area named Yhacamí (San Salvador) it takes the northwest and once again borders the territory of Villarrica (Caazapamí) where it serves as the border between Villarrica and the town of
Borja. Bolas Cua ultimately feeds into Tebicuarymi river.
Native Species
Native animals that can be observed within the territory of the city are the following:
* Birds:
Pitangus sulphuratus,
Cyanochorax chrysops,
Procnias nudicollis,
Nyctibius griseus,
Campephilus melanoleucos,
Mergus octosetaceus,
Vanellus chilensis and
Amazona vinacea.
* Reptiles:
Hydrodynastes gigas,
Eunectes notaeus
The yellow anaconda (''Eunectes notaeus''), also known as the Paraguayan anaconda, is a Boinae, boa species Endemism, endemic to southern South America. It is one of the List of largest snakes, largest snakes in the world but smaller than its cl ...
and
Dracaena paraguayensis
''Dracaena paraguayensis'', the Paraguay caiman lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. It is found in Northern Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country loca ...
.
* Mammals:
Myrmecophaga tridactyla,
Cerdocyon thous
The crab-eating fox (''Cerdocyon thous''), also known as the forest dog, wood fox, bushfox (not to be confused with the bush dog) or maikong, is an extant species of medium-sized canid endemic to the central part of South America since at least ...
,
Didelphis albiventris and
Vampyressa pusilla.
The most vulnerable animal species are the
giant otter
The giant otter or giant river otter (''Pteronura brasiliensis'') is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators, reaching up to . Atypical of mustel ...
and the
mantle hawk. The apex-predator, the
jaguar
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large felidae, cat species and the only extant taxon, living member of the genus ''Panthera'' that is native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the biggest cat spe ...
is currently extinct in Villarrica and western Guaira.
As for native trees one can frequently see
Handroanthus impetiginosus
''Handroanthus impetiginosus'', the pink ipê, pink lapacho or pink trumpet tree, is a tree in the family Bignoniaceae, distributed throughout North, Central and South America, from northern Mexico south to northern Argentina.
Along with all the ...
(pink lapacho),
Handroanthus serratifolius
''Handroanthus serratifolius'' is a species of tree, commonly known as yellow lapacho, pau d'arco, yellow poui, yellow ipe, pau d'arco amarelo, or ''ipê-amarelo''. It is in the family Bignoniaceae.
Description
It is a tree native to forests ...
(yellow lapacho),
Jacaranda mimosifolia
''Jacaranda mimosifolia'' is a sub-tropical tree native to south-central South America that has been widely planted elsewhere because of its attractive and long-lasting Violet (color), violet-colored flowers. It is also known as the jacaranda, b ...
(blue jacaranda),
Peltophorum dubium
''Peltophorum dubium'' is a tree in the family Fabaceae and subfamily Caesalpinioideae. This species is known as ''ibirá-pitá'' in Argentina and Paraguay, ''árbol de Artigas'' in Uruguay, and ''Cambuí'' in Brazil. It is a large tree, growing ...
(ibirapita),
Cordia trichotoma
''Cordia trichotoma'', or louro pardo, is a species of a medium-sized deciduous tree that belongs to the family Boraginaceae. It is a perennial species native to humid tropical and subtropical forests in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and others.
D ...
and
Enterolobium contortisiliquum
''Enterolobium contortisiliquum'', commonly known as the pacara earpod tree, is a species of flowering tree in the family Fabaceae
Fabaceae () or Leguminosae, (pacara earpod tree).
Some native fruit are the
passion fruit
''Passiflora edulis'', commonly known as passion fruit, is a vine species of passion flower native to the region of southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its ...
(Passiflora edulis),
acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata),
brazilian cherry (Eugenia uniflora),
macaw palm fruit (Acrocomia aculeata) and a fruit called ''aratiku'' (
Annona nutans
''Annona nutans'' is a species of plant in the family Annonaceae. It is native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. Robert Elias Fries, the Swedish botanist who first formally described the species, named it after its recurved peduncles w ...
)
Climate
Villarica has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Cfa'') bordering on a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States ...
(''Af'') and a
tropical monsoon climate
An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
(''Am''). The climate, in general is benign and healthy, with an average temperature of . In summer it can reach , while in winter it can drop to . The rainiest months are January and November.
Demographics
The influx of
European
European, or Europeans, may refer to:
In general
* ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe
** Ethnic groups in Europe
** Demographics of Europe
** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...
immigrants the city received in the late 19th century constituted a significant part of the ethnic make up of Villarrica until the second Paraguayan Civil War in 1947. After this conflict the number of European-descended people started to shrink rapidlly due to emigration to
Asuncion and
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
, decreasing birth rates among the Europeans, increasing birth-rates of the locals and mixed-unions with the already majoritary population with significant
Indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often populari ...
and
Sub-Saharian African ancestry. By the end of the 20th century the racial make up of Villarrica was virtually identical to the one of
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
having over 90% of racially-mixed residents who prefer to speak
Jopara
Jopara () or Yopará () is a colloquial form of Guarani spoken in Paraguay which uses a number of Spanish loan words. Its name is from the Guarani word for “mixture”.
The majority of Paraguayans, particularly younger ones, speak some form o ...
and
Guarani over plain
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
.
Subdivisions

There are 14 neighborhoods that comprise the
urban area
An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...
and 23 hamlets that comprise the
rural area
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry are typically desc ...
.
Economy
The most important economic activities of Villarrica are
commerce of Brazilian and Argentine goods, services and family-owned industries like sugar processing, furniture making and shoemaking. Commerce has such a relevance in the economy of the city as the universities attract students from all the other towns in
Guaira, the departments of
Caaguazu and
Caazapa but also medical students from
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. As for agriculture, it has a decreasing importance. Only 10% of the total sugar cane cultivation of Guaira comes from Villarrica.
Infrastructure

Villarrica is communicated to other towns in Paraguay mainly through
Route No. 8 “Blas Garay”. To the North of Paraguay through
Santani which starts at the junction of
Route PY02 and
Route PY07 and is paved until the district of
Coronel Bogado
Coronel Bogado District is a town and district in the Itapúa Department of Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, so ...
in
Itapúa Department
Itapúa () is a department in the southern region of Paraguay. The capital is the city of Encarnación. It is divided into 30 districts, more than any other department in the country.
History
This department was created after the breakup of the ...
. There is also another route that joins with Route PY07 that goes through the towns of
Mbocayaty,
Natalicio and
Troche
(; ) is a commune in the department in central France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Corrèze department
The following is a list of the 277 communes of the Corrèze department of France
France, officially the French ...
. Moreover,
Route PY10 communicates Villarrica with the city of
Paraguari. There are two paved roads that communicate Villarrica with the town of
Itapé
Itapé is a town in the Guairá Department of Paraguay located by shores of the Tebicuarymi River.
It was founded in 1682 as a Catholic mission for indigenous people by Buenaventura de Villasboa, a mestizo priest from the extinct convent of Santa ...
. The first one(18km) departs from Lomas Valentinas neighborhood and the other one (23km) departs from Santa Librada neighborhood. The road that communicates Villarrica directly to neighboring town of
Felix Perez is still a
dirt road
A dirt road or track is a type of unpaved road not paved with asphalt, concrete, brick, or stone; made from the native material of the land surface through which it passes, known to highway engineers as subgrade material.
Terminology
Simi ...
.
Water service is provided by the government owned company ESSAP. Electricity is provided by the local private company CLYFSA. Villarrica is the only municipality in Paraguay that gets its electricity service from a private company. The service for Internet access is provided by the companies
Tigo
Millicom International Cellular SA is a Luxembourgish fixed line and mobile telecommunications services provider operating in Latin America operating under the Tigo brand. Its main shareholder is Xavier Niel, a French billionaire who owns 40% of ...
,
Personal
Personal may refer to:
Aspects of persons' respective individualities
* Privacy
* Personality
* Personal, personal advertisement, variety of classified advertisement used to find romance or friendship
Companies
* Personal, Inc., a Washington, ...
and the state-owned COPACO.
Some banks that have offices in Villarrica are
Itau Bank from Brazil,
Banco Nacion from Argentina and BNF, GNB and Continental from Paraguay. Some
cooperative institutions are COOPEDUC (founded in Villarrica), COOMECIPAR (nation-wide health personnel) and Cooperativa Universitaria.
Education
The three main universities in Villarrica are
UNA,
UCV, and UNVES. UNA and UNVES are government-owned and UCV is private and run by the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. The Medical School of the Catholic University in Villarrica is the second oldest in Paraguay only after that of the UNA in San Lorenzo.
Among the prominent highschools in Villarrica there are Don Bosco and Maria Auxiliadora both run by the Salesians of Don Bosco, Salesian order of the Catholic Church; Centro Educativo Internacional run by Nondenominational Christianity, non-denominational Christians; Buscio School which is private and secular and CRENT, government-owned and secular.
It has numerous educational institutions and schools, such as: the National School, the Ortiz Guerreo School, Technical and Vocational National School, the Diosesano Seminar, the Agriculture Regional School, Women Professional Institute, and the Pío XII School of Arts and Crafts.
Culture

Villarrica used to be regarded as the second most important city in Paraguay due to the dynamic cultural activity it had until the first half of the 20th century. The first Paraguayan physician, the first Paraguayan poet and the first Paraguayan Neurosurgery, neurosurgeon all hailed from Villarrica. Many renowned Paraguayan artists such as poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero, classical composer Diego Sanchez Haase and guitar player Cayo Sila Godoy were born and raised there. Several other Villarrica natives have been very relevant especially in education, journalism and literature. In addition, many towns in Paraguay such as Caaguazú District, Caaguazu,
Mbocayaty,
Independencia and even Union in San Pedro Department, Paraguay, San Pedro Department are said to have been settled by pioneers and families from Villarrica.
The oldest social club in Paraguay named Club Porvenir Guaireño was founded in Villarrica in 1888 and the first private electricity company named CLYFSA was also founded in the city in 1953. The second most popular political party in Paraguay, the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, PLRA was founded in Villarrica in 1886 by Villarrica-born Antonio Taboada.
Villarrica has its own Association football, soccer club named Guaireña F.C. and has competed in the First Division of Paraguayan Soccer Tournaments. Other popular sports in the city are Rugby football, rugby, basketball, cycling and tennis.
Music
In 1992, the Asociacion Filarmonica Guaireña gives classes of violin, viola, cello, bass, flute and Music theory, musical theory. They have also formed the Ensamble ''Lumine Antiqua'' which is the only Paraguayan band out of Asuncion that plays Baroque music, barroque music. The Department of Culture of the Municipality has its own choir named ''Sensus Aeternus'' and they organize Choir Festivals with other choirs from neighboring towns and Argentina. Privately owned institutes give classes of guitar, piano, Drum, drums and Paraguayan harp.
Religion
Despite being overwhelmingly Catholic influenced Villarrica presents increasing religious diversity. For instance, Villarrica is the seat of Pentecostalism, Iglesia Belen Pentecostal Libre del Paraguay. Some other religious minorities existent in the city are Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, Latter-Day Saints.
Among the Catholic orders the most relevant are the Jesuits, the Franciscans and the Salesians of Don Bosco, Salesians.
Tourism

One of the most visited places is Ortiz Guerrero Park. The park is located in the Centro neighborhood on Dr Bottrel and Coronel Oviedo streets. There is a walkway around the lagoon and the tomb of the poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero. It is also a good place to observe and feed animals like Capybara, capybaras, Duck, ducks, Mallard, mallards, Neotropic cormorant, cormorants, Goose, geese and an endangered species of rodent called agouti.
Another interesting spot is Fermin Lopez Museum which is set on a house built in 1842. It keeps personal belongings of
Paraguayan War
The Paraguayan War (, , ), also known as the War of the Triple Alliance (, , ), was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It wa ...
heroes like Fermín López and poet Natalicio Talavera (poet), Natalicio Talavera; arms and ammunitions from the Chaco War, a collection of old Paraguayan guaraní, Paraguayan coins and bills, as well as other artifacts such as indigenous weapons, old furniture, old photographs of the city and pieces of religious art.
Other suggested activities are to attend Saint John's Eve, St. John´s Eve celebration in June at the Old Railway Station, to go for a walk or cycling at Guaira Park, attend concerts at the Cathedral or hike at the hills in Ytororó hamlet.
Gallery
File:Porvenir.jpg, Club Porvenir Guaireño (1888)
File:Paraguay church.jpg, Franciscan Church in Ybaroty neighborhood
File:Bancodefomento.jpg, Building of the National Development Bank of Paraguay (BNF) in Villarrica
File:Cristobal_Colon_street_175534.jpg, Post Office Building (left)
File:Hotel_Guaira,_Villarrica,_Paraguay.jpg, A small hotel in the town center
File:Plaza_de_los_Heroes_180238.jpg, Heroes Square in the Centro neighborhood
File:Marimer_coffee_shop_184816.jpg, Downtown Villarrica, Paraguay
File:Catedralvilla.jpg, Saint Claire Cathedral
File:Curupayty_street_165943.jpg, A view of Villarrica
File:General Diaz street 175705.jpg, Random street downtown
Notable people
*Manuel Ortiz Guerrero Poet
*Natalicio Talavera (poet), Natalicio Talavera Romantic and war Poet
*Juan Natalicio González, Natalicio Gonzalez - Paraguayan President
*Efraím Cardozo - Educator and historian
*Helio Vera - Author and journalist
*Cayo Sila Godoy, Cayo Sila - Guitar player
*Alfredo Seiferheld - Author and Journalist
*Marcos Zeida - Communist Politician
*Nadia Ferreira - Miss Universe Paraguay 2021, Miss Universe 2021 1st Runner-up.
*Lia Ashmore - Miss Universe Paraguay 2022
Twin towns
Villarrica is Sister city, twinned with:
* San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina
References
External sources
* Geografía Ilustrada del Paraguay. Tercera Edición. Distribuidora Quevedo de Ediciones. Buenos Aires.1998.
* Atlas y Geografía de Paraguay y el Mundo. Ediciones India Guapa. Asunción. 1997.
* Atlas Paraguay. Cartografía Didáctica. Fausto Cultural Ediciones. Enero 2000.
* Franco Preda, Artemio. El Guairá y su aporte a la cultura paraguaya. Editora Litocolor S.R.L. Villarrica,2003.
External links
Proyecto Independiente de la Ciudad de VillarricaVillarrik.com
{{Authority control
Villarrica, Paraguay,
Populated places in the Guairá Department
Populated places established in 1570
1570 establishments in the Spanish Empire