Located on the northern side of Córdoba city, Candonga is the threshold of the untarnished natural beauty of the Sierras Chicas and of the history of the region. This land holds numerous traces of the Jesuitical Missions, charming little chapels and vast “estancias” (ranches). A perfect opportunity to escape the rat race and the bustle of city life to enjoy the sounds of nature and the echoes of past glories.

Candonga's Chapel

CANDONGA is the ancient Castilian word for “loaded mule” or “old mule” in reference to the animals that, in the early 18th century, carried heavy loads across the mountains following the Royal Trail of Upper Peru.

This is the region where the Jesuits settled to perform their evangelizing and educational mission and it still bears testimony to this past.

Jesus Maria, Alta Gracia, La Candelaria, Santa Catalina and Caroya were busy work and education centers until 1767, when the Jesuits were thrown out from America , Portugal and its colonies.

The north was the heart of activity in the Royal Trail; the University of Cordoba and the Monserrat College created the new ruling class.

The Chapel of Candonga, built in 1730 in honor of the Virgin, was declared National Historical Monument in 1941 and the UNESCO included the road of the “estancias” and the Jesuits' block on the list of the World Heritage in December, 2000.