Facts About The Jesuit Block And Stancias Of Córdoba You Should Know

Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason
Nov 03, 2023 By Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason
Originally Published on Oct 12, 2022
One of the interesting Jesuit Block And Estancias Of Córdoba Facts is that it was named a world heritage site in 2000.

The Jesuit Block and Estancias are noteworthy examples of a boundless economic, legal, religious, political, and cultural system.

The Jesuit block, a 94-acre ensemble of its five Estancias, is primarily located near Argentina. The Jesuit Block and Estancias represent a synthesis of European and indigenous ideals and cultures, as well as the participation of African slave labor during a pivotal period in South American history.

The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Cordoba, located in Argentina, consists of the University of Cordoba, one of South America's oldest universities. Also present are the Monserrat Secondary School, a church or chapel, and some residential buildings.

The Jesuits managed six Estancias to handle this project around the province of Cordoba. The names of the six Estancias are Santa Catalina, Caroya, Alta Gracia, Jesus Maria, San Ignacio, and Candelaria. Santa Catalina is a rural establishment built around the splendid landscape of the Cordoba Sierras.

The Jesuit Block Estancia of Caroya is situated on a huge stretch of land and is known as the first established Estancia in 1616. The land in this Estancia was used for grapes, fruits, wheat, and other crops. Jesus Maria is the second established Estancia and was used to produce various necessary items, including stone items and farming tools.

This was founded in 1618. Santa Catalina, founded in 1622, is the largest of all Estancias.

The prominent and noticeable thing about it is the large colonial baroque church, and the construction was completed only in 1754. The Estancia Candelaria varies from the rest as it is in a remote wasteland and serves as an outpost. This was mainly used for cattle raising.

Please continue reading to learn more about the facts of Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba.

Discovery And History

The Jesuits are said to be the members who are part of the Society of Jesus. This is a group of people who are part of the Catholic Church. The group of people of the Society of Jesus provided places to live, churches, and most importantly to them, education through universities and schools.

The Society of Jesus is a gigantic domed structure with two squat towers towards the west end constructed primarily with stone and brick in the upper levels. It is a single-core building with a richly decorated interior, especially the retablo of the main altar and the pulpit are perfect examples of Baroque architecture.

The Society of Jesus group of people entered South America during the early 17th century and founded the Estancias in the Cordoba Jesuit Block in 1615. During the 18th century second half, they were ousted by Charles III, the Spanish King, and it was taken over by the Franciscans for around a century.

There are a total of six Estancias around Cordoba, out of which only five Estancias are prominent. These Estancias each had a chapel or church, residences for the priests, work areas, rural farming and manufacturing establishments, ranches for indigenous peoples and enslaved people, and a vast extent of land for cattle breeding.

The ensemble is exclusively known for its provincial organization and economic augmentation between urban and rural settlements, which helped the Society of Jesus to seek its missionary and educational goals.

Conservation

The estancias work as cultural, regional, and interchange development centers though they have lost their productive nature.

The Jesuit Block is located in the city of Cordoba, and the five estancias of Caroya, Santa Catalina, Alta Gracia, La Candelaria, and Jesús María, are an example of an enormous political, legal, economic, religious, and cultural system that is variously owned by the federal government.

The church and the province of Cardoba are taken care of by private owners, and they are managed by provincial, municipal, private concerns, federal, ecclesiastical, and by Presidential Decree (Santa Catalina). All the parts of this property have been protected legally at the national level since the year 1938 and also under Federal Law.

Site Statistics

The Jesuit Block is a 38 ha (94 acres) ensemble with its five Estancias (rural farming and manufacturing establishments), which is located near the geographical center of Argentina.

Out of the six Estancias, five Estancias are called the core buildings.

The five core buildings constitute Jesus Maria, which is at a distance of 48 km (30 mi) from the Jesuit Block, Santa Catalina, with a distance of 70 km (43 mi) from the block, Alta Gracia, which is located at a distance of 36 km (22 mi), Caroya at 44 km (27 mi) far from the block and La Candelaria at 22o km (137 mi) from the Jesuit Block.

FAQs

What is so special about Jesuit Block and Estancias Of Córdoba?

The Jesuit Block and Estancias are known for their outstanding universal value, which is a confluence of two typologies. The first one is a layout of the European convent, which includes the main church, a college, and a residence in the city.

The second one is a novel rural settlement that had the church, also called a chapel, residence, and trading post combined in a productive interrelated territory.

How old are the Jesuit Block and Estancias Of Córdoba?

The Jesuit Block and Estancias are said to be the religious, agricultural, and educational developments brought in by the Society of Jesus during the period 1604 to 1767. It has the core buildings pertaining to the Jesuit system, which are the university, the church, and the residence of the Society of Jesus, along with the college.

The five Estancias, also called the farming estates or core buildings, contain the religious and secular constructions that depict the specific religious, social, and economic experiments performed over a period of around 150 years during the 17th and 18th centuries. All these together form the origin and core of the missionary activities conducted by the Jesuits in South America.

Who built the Jesuit Block and Estancias Of Córdoba?

The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Cordoba were constructed by King Charles third during the 17th century. This is called the Jesuit reduction constructed by the missionaries.

What type of architectural feature is a Jesuit Block and Estancias Of Córdoba?

The Jesuit Building contains all the elements needed to showcase the outstanding universal value of the Jesuit Block and Estancias of Cordoba. This emphasizes their importance in their unique locations as architectural and landscape ensembles.

The Estancias are perfect examples of the Barroco style of architecture. Two of the Estancias Santa Catalina and La Candelaria retain the original rural settings, the Caroya and Jesus Maria in semi-urban structure, and Alta Gracia has a Che Guevara's house museum.

The house of Manuel Falla forms the center of an urban structure. The Jesuit Block is authentic regarding the materials and substances, forms and designs, locations, and settings of the ensembles.

This construction is recognized for retaining its original typologies and structural, morphological, and spatial characteristics. The main church in the city of Cordoba was constructed in the shape of a ship and was considered one of the wonders in that area during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Where exactly was this made?

The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Cordoba, built by the missionaries, are a former Jesuit reduction made in the province of Cordoba in Argentina.

When did it become so famous?

The Jesuit Block and Estancias de Cordoba are the primary structures of the old Jesuit Province of Paraguay's capital. It is an exceptional example of the fusion of the Native American and European cultural systems, including the contributions of slave laborers of Africa during a seminal period in South America.

The Jesuit Block became famous during the 17th and 18th centuries for its outstanding achievements in the development of technologies that are based on local resources, which include both material and human and also the use of the knowledge of the indigenous peoples and slave laborers from Africa during a seminal period in the history of South America.

What city is Jesuit Block and Estancias Of Córdoba in?

The Jesuit Block and Estancias are located in the city of Cordoba in Argentina.

When was it named a World Heritage site?

The Jesuit Block and Estancias of Cordoba, the former Jesuit reduction constructed by the missionaries in Argentina, were named the World Heritage Site in 2000.

What do Jesuit Block and Estancias contain?

The former Jesuit Province of Paraguay's center, known as the Jesuit Block and Estancias, is said to contain the core structures and buildings of the Jesuit System, the chapel, the university, and the residence of the Society of Jesus, and finally, the college.

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Sources

https://www.ischigualasto.gob.ar/en/the-park/

https://worldheritageoutlook.iucn.org/explore-sites/wdpaid/220291

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/966/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischigualasto_Formation#Dinosaurs

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Written by Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason

Bachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.

Adekunle Olanrewaju Jason picture

Adekunle Olanrewaju JasonBachelor of Science specializing in Mass Communication.

With over 3+ years of professional experience, Olanrewaju is a certified SEO Specialist and Content Writer. He holds a BSc in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. Throughout his dynamic career, Olanrewaju has successfully taken on various roles with startups and established organizations. He has served as a Technical Writer, Blogger, SEO Specialist, Social Media Manager, and Digital Marketing Manager. Known for his hardworking nature and insightful approach, Olanrewaju is dedicated to continuous learning and improvement.
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