The harp is the official instrument of Paraguay and politicians, soccer teams and even social clubs are all recognized by the harp melodies that identify them. All along the road side that leads to the airport, there are numerous shops that sell harps and sidewalk vendors even have them leaning against walls waiting for passing tourists.

According to the famous harp maker, Lino Ruiz Diaz, Pablo Ramirez was responsible for the unique harp neck design that quickly became the standard neck on Paraguayan harps several decades ago. The neck is constructed with two halves of wood that are laminated, usually by the harp maker. And, the strings come from holes that are located in the center of the harp neck.

The resulting harp is symmetrical and has perfectly centralized pressure zones that allow the harp to have a light construction that isn’t achieved in any other type of harp. Modern versions of the harp are generally around five feet tall and will weigh some where between 7 and 12 pounds.

Most of the harps that are made in Luque have 36 strings, but some harp makers use up to 40 strings. The strings are spaced closer together than in other harps made in Latin America. The spacing gets wider toward the lower range on the harp to provide more room for string vibrations and the artists fingers.

The harps feature one single hole for sound in the bottom of the sound box, but sometimes there are one or more holes added to the back section of the sound box. Traditionally, all the tuning pegs were constructed from hard wood, but most modern harps now have tuning pegs that are made of aluminum. Some designers even use pegs that resemble guitar pegs.

Luque harps are one of the most popular in South American and are becoming one of the most popular in the world. Some harpists in Chile and Ecuador even choose Paraguayan harps for their performances. And, Paraguayan harps are now being manufactured in several other parts of the world including the U.S. and Europe.

The combination of the neck design and the placement of the strings create a really powerful sound. In fact, the sound from these harps is so amazing that some Celtic harp makers are now designing their instruments after the Paraguayan harp design.

Francisco Solano Lopez succeeded his father as president of Paraguay when his father died in September of 1862. His presidency was confirmed by a Paraguayan Congress of Deputies and he took office in October. Lopez held the office until he was killed by allied forces in 1870 during the War of the Triple Alliance.

With the start of the war the construction was delayed, but when Lopez was killed in battle, further construction was abandoned. In 1887, President John Gonzalez commissioned that the palace be completed to be used as the seat of the countries national government.

The palace is ideally located in the city square directly overlooking the Asuncion Bay which provides an amazing view. It occupies two acres of land that were given to Francisco Solano Lopez by his godfather, Lazaro Rojas at the time of his christening.

It’s definitely the most impressive buildings in Asuncion. Designed in a neoclassical style, it features wide staircases and verandas. Both floors of the palace are dominated with the same style featuring continuous arches all the way around the top floor balcony.

The main body of the building is enhanced with two wings that sit on either side forming a squared “U” shape and encompassing the grounds at the front entrance. And, in the center of the building, a lookout tower hovers two stories about the top floor roof.

British architect, Alonso Taylor was initially commissioned for the construction of the palace. But, several other architects had a hand in the buildings design before it was completed. French builder, Daumas Ladouce Felix and Italian architect Alejandro Ravizza also had input into the final outcome of the government palace.

There once was a sculptural group at the palace that was created by Englishman John Owen Moyniham and Andreas Antonioni, an Italian. The stones had been extracted from nearby quarries, but these were removed over the years and it is unknown where they are now.

It was in this humble home that the emancipation from Spain was planned in secret meetings. On May 14, 1811, a group of brave patriots left the house at dawn and surrounded the house of the Spanish governor. They demanded that he relinquish control over the nation, the surrender was carried out without any bloodshed.

The museum is laid out in rooms as if the house was still a residence. There’s an office room that exhibits some of the important documents that were signed by various patriots that played a role in Paraguay’s independence. The dining room is decorated with furniture and other items, including a sword that belonged to Fulgencio Yegros, a main military figure in the 1811 revolution.

The bedroom still contains the bed that belonged to founding father, Fernando de la Mora. Below his portrait on a wall, is one of the shirts that he wore. The museums living room is decorated with French furniture and has a crystal chandelier. There are several full length portraits and religious carvings that were made in the Franciscan and Jesuit workshops.

An oratory displays even more carvings from the Franciscan’s and the Jesuit’s as well as various other religious objects from different origins. A large mural highlights the museum’s yard. There are various paragraphs of a note that ratified the nations independence, a coat of arms and a sundial from the Santa Rosa Jesuit Mission.

Another very interesting point in the yard is two tumulus’, or mounds. One of these mounds covers the body of the infamous patriot, Juan Bautista Rivarola Matto. He was a Paraguayan journalist, essayist, narrator and playwright. And, the other mound covers the body of Eusebio Ayala, a two time president of Paraguay.

Although the house kept the secrets of the plans for independence hidden, the alley way is probably even more significant. It was through this historical alley that the founding fathers were able to come and go without being seen. And, it was the alley that allowed Juana Maria de Lara to reach the Cathedral to have the bronze bells rang to summon the men to come and celebrate the birth of the new Republic of Paraguay early on May 15th.

Over the years, the advanced innovations with kilns has enabled many of the  artisans in Paraguay to develop new and different kinds of sculptural art. Many of these pieces of art can be found at road side vendors all around the area. The museum was seen as an important tool in getting some of these works of art showcased in a gallery style environment.

Aside from the amazing pieces that are on display, the buildings interior itself is very beautiful. It is full of modern glass display cases that are very well lit. And, there is a lot of information on the pieces that are displayed. One section of the museum is set aside for all of the permanent exhibitions. It focuses on the lifestyles of the indigenous natives and pre-Columbian art.

The other section of the Museo de Barro, houses all the temporary exhibitions. Displays can range from plastic art and photography, to contemporary paintings and historical artifacts. But, the museum is most popular for a collection of Guarani ceramics from the pre-colonial era.

There are both historical paintings and paintings done by some of the local artists. The numerous masks that hang on the museums walls serve as proof of how strong Paraguayan’s believe in the popular traditions. Masks like these are worn during the fiestas. And, were also worn by several Guarani tribes during rituals.

The museum also displays some dramatic figures of saints, some that date back to the 16th century and some modern day versions. And, there are several exhibits that showcase the local artisans talent in the craft of Nanduti, more commonly known as spider web needlework.

Visitors to the museum can get a unique glimpse into the lives of Paraguay’s native people. Many of these crafts have been handed down from generation to generation and are a tribute to the talent, skill and pride in their work that the Paraguayan artisans have.

The war began over various issues between the four countries. Paraguay had spent years going through boundary and tariff disputes with both Brazil and Argentina. Politics, economic interests, ambitions and even a constant power struggle over the Rio de la Plata region all contributed to the war.

Paraguay was utterly defeated in the war and it took the country decades to overcome the chaos. One estimate places the countries losses from both disease and war at around 1.2 million people, a staggering 90 percent of the entire population. However, another estimate placed the death toll at about 300,000 people.

It’s been argued that the Triple Alliance War played a part in Argentina’s consolidation as a nation-state. It soon became the second wealthiest country in Latin America, only behind Brazil. Uruguay profited from the war in the fact that it would be the last time that Argentina and Brazil would take a drastic interventionist role in the countries internal politics.

The war had helped bring about the abolishment of slavery in Brazil. It had boosted the military into key roles in the public sphere. But, it had also created an enormous amount of public debt, which took the country several decades to repay. This debt seriously reduced growth for Brazil.

Historians have said that when the war first began, the Triple Alliance’s military force was far inferior to Paraguay’s. It’s been believed that Paraguay had over 60,000 men that were well trained. That Paraguay’s naval squadron consisted of 23 steamboats and five ships that could navigate the river. And, that the naval forces were based around a gunboat that featured 400 cannons.

However, more recent studies have revealed an entirely different scenario. While the Paraguayan military did have from 70,000 to 100,000 men, they were more likely very poorly equipped and had very little, if any training. There was no system of command since all the decisions were made by President Lopez. Food, medical care and weapons were scarce. And, what weapons were available, were crude and inaccurate.

In contrast, Uruguay started the war with no navy and less than 2,000 men. Argentina’s naval resources included five ships and about 8,500 men. And, at the beginning of the war, many of the 16,000 troops Brazil had were based at the southern garrisons.

Brazil’s biggest advantage was it’s naval force. The country had 42 ships that were equipped with 239 cannons and a naval crew of around 4,000 men that were well trained. However, Brazil was still totally unprepared for a war. It’s military was unorganized and were mostly volunteers and not professional soldiers.

Although the number of Paraguayan men that died in the war is highly debated, it is known that it was a big percentage of the male population. But, many of the deaths weren’t due to the battles themselves. The lack of fresh food and sanitary water contributed largely to the death toll. It’s been said that cholera was probably the largest cause of death.

A secret clause that was added to the Triple Alliance Treaty ceded a large portion of the Gran Chaco to Argentina. And, after Paraguay’s defeat, Argentina negotiated a proposal with Brazil to split the country in two and enlarge their own countries.

However, Brazil didn’t want to eradicate the country, it served as a divider between Argentina and the Brazilian Empire. A stand off resulted and the Brazilian military remained in the Paraguay territory for 6 years after the war ended to deter any attempted take over from Argentina.

The architectural style of the San Cosme y San Damian isn’t nearly as impressive as the other Jesuit ruins in Paraguay. But, this mission had something that makes up for the lack of unique architecture, it was a world renowned astrological center.

Organized and operated by Father Buenaventura Suarez, the mission contained an astronomical observatory that was the center of studies in South America. Father Suarez kept in close contact with several of Europe’s leading astronomers whom all recognized his contributions to the field.

With the help of the Guarani, Father Suarez built various instruments such as  refractors using polished lenses from crystalline rocks. They also constructed a sundial and a pendulum clock. Today, the sundial is all that remains of the observatory, it sits in the courtyard attesting to the history that the mission and the town holds.

The town of San Cosme y San Damian has developed around the the mission’s square. The town has expanded and grown without incurring any damage to the mission. The mission is an integral part of the community, in fact many of it’s 3,000 inhabitants still worship in the church.

Although not as impressive in style as some of the other Jesuit missions, the church has many impressive artifacts from the era. Along the side walls there are 21 statues of the saints seemingly standing guard. Several years ago, two other important images were stolen. The sculptures were of St. Joseph and St. Barbara and have never been recovered.

One of the most interesting images is of the Archangel, St. Michael slaying Satan. The sculpture depicts Satan as half male and half female, this is probably due to the fact that in the Guarani language, devil is a feminine word. Many of the original statues are still used for the town’s feast day for their patron saints and during the processions for Holy Week.

The San Cosme y San Damian Church is also renowned for a spectacular 17th century altar chair that is adorned with hand painted passion flowers. The chair is used by the priests of the parish and was used by Pope John Paul II when he visited the country in 1988.

When the Jesuit’s were expelled from Paraguay in 1767, the church was still many years away from being finished. Had it been completed, the Jesus mission would have had one of the largest churches of the missions. The central structure measures almost 230 feet long and almost 80 feet wide.

Around 3,000 Guarani’s worked on the construction of the church that would have been a replica designed after the famous Church of Loyala in Italy. The red brick stones contrasting amid a flat landscape of lush green, emphasizes the grand scale of the church and what an enormous undertaking it’s construction was.

The buildings at the Jesus de Tavarangue mission have some Spanish styled features. There are three massive arched doors that enter the church structure exhibiting the moor Christian influence. And, the stone walls rising high around the structure are really outstanding.

The bell tower still stands at the Jesus mission, reaching 160 feet in the sky. Numerous bells hung in the towers of the Jesuit ruins in Paraguay, generally at least six. The bell towers rang out as many as three times a day summoning the inhabitants to mass. But, they were also used to alert the small city of the approach of slave traders from Brazil.

The lintels in the churches arched doors are adorned with stones that are hand carved into roses. Bands of carved angels encircle the stone walls and a large stone pulpit still stands. Visitors can walk up the stairs and partake in a magnificent view of the surrounding area.

The ruins of the Jesuit missions reflect a large part of the history of Paraguay. The depict a way of life for the native Guarani’s that was enhanced by the arrival of the Jesuit priests. Although, the architecture of the native’s dwellings weren’t elaborate, they were much better than their original homes of mud and grass.

The Guarani’s shared not only in the work inside the missions, they also shared in the products that were created and grown there. They were introduced to the Roman Catholic religion that still dominates the country today. And, they learned skills and trades that have been handed down through the generations.

The Trinidad ruins are one of the most well preserved ruins in the country. This can be partly attributed to the fact that it was the last of eight missions constructed in Paraguay. Built in 1706, it was built almost a century after the first Reduction appeared in Paraguay.

The ruins has withstood the weathering of time fairly well and Paraguay’s historical societies have helped to maintain the site. There is still a lot of the church and the cloister still remaining in Trinidad, sitting in the middle of a wonderful, lush field virtually in the middle of nowhere.

The mission, built with reddish color stones is considered to be the largest of all the Paraguayan Jesuit Reducciones. It has the largest temple of any of the other ruins and Was one of the most important missions in the region. The temple has an altar that is carved from one single, large piece of stone.

The massive temple sits in the heart of the large central square. There are decaying remains of bell towers, the town’s meeting place, a school, workshops and houses where the Guarani’s lived. There is also a museum and what’s left of an old cemetery on the grounds.

Inside the temple, there are still several sculptures and a scaled model of the entire mission. Visitors can see many wood carvings and paintings, as well as musical instruments that were all made by the native Indians that lived and worked inside the Reduction.

The construction of this massive Jesuit Reduction, spanned 61 years. It was began in 1706 and didn’t reach completion until 1767. The carvings found throughout the mission, such as in the stone altar, the tower and the sacristy door were all done by the Indians. And, depict images of all of the persecution that the natives, the Guarani, were enduring at the time.

These historical ruins provide an amazing glimpse into the lives of the nearly 4,000 Indian’s that lived here. Proof of their talents and skills are abundant in everything from the beautiful carvings to the spectacular baroque style architecture of the buildings. And, now that the ruin is being maintained and restored on a constantly, it will continue to share it’s rich history for many years to come.

Situated within the boundaries of the Monday Municipal Park, the waterfalls are some of the most beautiful in Paraguay. There are three falls in the park with the highest one reaching almost 132 feet. The falls create a spectacular array of white mist and water droplets as they crash to the brush and rocks below.

The falls descend very near the mouth of the Monday River and make their way down the canyon before flowing into the Parana River. Since the falls aren’t as well known and popular as the Iguassu Falls, there are fewer visitors which creates a more private environment that visitors can enjoy.

The lush vegetation surrounding Monday Fall’s has numerous trails featuring easy to climb stairs that lead to walkways and balconies that provide wonderful, closeup views of the cascading falls. There are also numerous picnic and camping areas that make the area perfect for an escape to Mother Nature!

From Ciudad del Este, the Monday Falls are just a short trip of around 15 minutes. The impressive falls are in a well preserved wooded area and there are well maintained gardens throughout the park that are perfect for picnics, or to just relax after a hike around the falls.

This natural reserve spans almost 23 acres and the thick tropical forest provides various types of wildlife and birds for nature lovers to observe. For the more adventurous types, the steep rock walls that encompass the falls offers a great opportunity for rock climbing right along the edge of the rushing water.

Hiking opportunities are also abundant in the park. The trails cross the park and can be taken all the way to the banks of the river at the base of the falls. Swimming is also allowed, providing that care is taken to be very careful of the swift currents.

The park has paved walkways, rest rooms, water fountains, a coffee shop and even a small souvenir shop. There’s a foot bridge and an observatory that both provide amazing views of the falls and the Monday River valley below. The word “Monday” is a Guarani word that means robbed river. Maybe it refers to this beautiful natural wonder, being robbed of reputation and popularity it so duly deserves by the Iguassu falls!

According to history, in the sixteenth century, an Indian Christian, who was a sculptor, was out in the bush searching for mud. He was alone and came upon a group of men who were enemies from another village. The sculptor feared for his life and hid behind a large, thick trunk. Trembling and shaking, the converted Indian prayed to the Virgin Mary to keep him safe.

He promised the Virgin Mary that if she kept him safe from harm, he’d carve a statue of her out of the trunk that was keeping him safely hid. Escaping without harm, the sculptor kept his word and returned to get the needed wood from the trunk. He carved a beautiful statue of the Virgin that was taken to the church of Tobati, and he carved a smaller one that he kept for himself.

Over the years, there have been many miracles that have been attributed to this amazing statue. In 1603, the Tapaicua Lake flooded the entire valley and swept everything in it’s path away, including the statue. But, as the water receded, the statue miraculously appeared. From then on, the statue was called the Virgin of Miracles.

After the statue survived the flood, a carpenter constructed a hermitage in which to house the statue. And, almost immediately, pilgrims started making their way to the statue. Today, the statue is kept in the Cathedral in the town center, although it is widely debated whether the one on display is actually the original.

Every year, on December 8, believers gather in Caacupe to participate in the religious festival to honor of The Virgin of Caacupe. Hundreds of thousands of people make the pilgrimage each year and most come on foot, as is the tradition, from as much as 100 miles away. The festival held during this national holiday, spans several days.

The statue has a delicate oval shaped face and blue eyes. Her hands are joined in prayer, she wears an elegant snow white tunic and has a sky blue cloak around her shoulder, both of which are adrorned with gold embroidery. The statue stands on a sphere that rests upon a large half moon.

During the festival, a copy of the statue is used to prevent any damage to the original. For quite some time, to be able to adorn the statue with rich garments, the copy was enlarged disproportionately. The Church authorities finally decided that the copy should be given the same size as the original statue.

Devout believers, people in need and those who are sick or injured make the pilgrimage to Caacupe to lay petitions and prayers before the statue. The cobble stoned plaza in front of the basilica is large enough to accomodate around 300,000 people and each year it is over filled. During the night, many people sleep on the sidewalks, patches of grass, bushes, and anywhere else they can find a spot.

During the festival masses are held around the clock. There is a giant market all through the town with hundreds of souvenir vendors and people selling food. The town hosts a large fireworks display and thousands of people join in a candlelight procession. It’s a festival of celebration, giving thanks for answered prayers, praying for prayers to be answered and most of all, showing their devotion and love to Mary.