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.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rio Grande do Sul attractions

1. Igreja Matriz

0.07 MILES

This small, modern-day church across the street from the ruins at São Nicolau is a far cry from the religious epicenter that once stood on this site, but…

2. Santa María la Mayor

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Santa María is the least spectacular of the ruins on the joint admission ticket which, combined with its out-of-the-way location make it a rarely visited…