Sitio Arqueológico São Nicolau

Rio Grande do Sul


About 120km west of Santo Ângelo, this mission was once an artistic center, producing painting, ceramics and wood sculpture. Today, all that remains at the archaeological site is the Jesuits’ stone wine cellar and a few ruins. There's a small exhibit on Jesuit-Guarani culture nearby at the Secretary of Tourism.

Four recovered sacred images of Santo Antônio, Santo Izidro, Senhor dos Passos and São Nicolau are displayed inside the modern-day Igreja Matriz, across the street from the ruins. If you make it this far, you can spend the night at the Pousada das Jesuítas, 50m from the mission site, where the small town hospitality far outweighs the prices.