Ruins of São Miguel das Missões

The Ruins of São Miguel das Missões (pronounced [ˈsɐ̃w miˈɡɛw dɐz miˈsõjs]; Portuguese for 'St. Michael of the Missions'), also known as São Miguel Arcanjo, and by its former Spanish name Misión de San Miguel Arcángel, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the municipality of São Miguel das Missões, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil.

The São Miguel Jesuit mission was part of a vast programme of evangelisation by the Jesuits, who extended their efforts eastwards and westwards, leaving a strong mark on many countries around the world, which can still be seen today. The Jesuit settlement was established at a time when the territory was under Spanish rule and was the most notable of the Seven Towns, which have become an important part of the history of Rio Grande do Sul and Brazil and a source of rich traditions. Built in 1687 according to an advanced organisational plan for its location and time, a flourishing civilisation arose there, economically prosperous and prolific in cultural and artistic expressions, where European and indigenous elements were mixed, always, however, with a strong European and Christian orientation. But as soon as it reached its apogee, with the construction of its church between 1735 and 1750, its decline began. Caught up in the political and territorial disputes between Portugal and Spain and the controversies surrounding Jesuit activity, it was one of the centres of the Guaraní War and was burned down and depopulated in 1756. Restored and partially repopulated, it survived a few more years under a new administration after the Jesuits were expelled, and their Order suppressed, but it was already in decline. At the beginning of the 19th century it was looted, and its last inhabitants dispersed, making its ruin inexorable and falling into complete abandonment.

The restoration of the structures began in 1925, and since then the site has been increasingly valued, undergoing several restoration interventions and being the subject of several projects to promote its material and immaterial legacy. Its church has become one of the best-known images in Rio Grande do Sul, and the complex is a major tourist attraction. It is also the main centre of the city where it is located, which was formed as a result of its construction and is closely linked to it on many levels. Indigenous Guaraní communities in the surrounding area hold the site as sacred and as part of their collective memory and identity.

Because of its important historical, architectural and cultural value, the site was listed by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) in 1938, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, along with the ruins of San Ignacio Miní, Nuestra Señora de Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María La Mayor, located in Argentinian territory, and in 2015 was granted Brazilian Cultural Heritage status by IPHAN for its associations with Guaraní history and spirituality.