Santo Corazón

There isn't a great deal that can be said about the hamlet of Santo Corazón, simply because there just isn't much to tiny Santo Corazón in the first place. The last mission founded by the Jesuits in Bolivia, it was established by Frs. Antonio Gaspar and José Chueca as Santo Corazón de Jesús de Chiquitos in 1760 as a way stop along the road to Paraguay, and removed to its present location in 1788. Now the most isolated of all the Jesuit settlements, it sits at the extreme southwest of Angel Sandóval Province, all but cut off from the rest of the world.

As with San Juan Taperas (formerly San Juan Bautista), a town exists, although it currently bears little resemblance to the original Jesuit-founded settlement. Unlike San Juan Taperas, however, "modern" Santo Corazón is the direct descendent of the original habitation; it was not re-founded.

Downtown Santo Corazón

What does one do in Santo Corazón? Outside of admiring the formidable scenery, I have no idea. The church is a modern job, with nothing related to the original structure (which was probably very similar to the templo of Santa Ana de Velasco).

Local hot spots? None to speak of. Fascinating cultural landmarks? Zip. Amazing wildlife and stunning vistas? Yes, this being the spot where the Sureste Cruzeño and the Pantanal overlap, you certainly will find plenty of both here. Beyond this, your guess is as good as anyone else's. The area south of the settlement was home until recently to the last members of the now-extinct Otuquis tribe, for whom the massive Parque Nacional y Área Natural de Manejo Integrado Otuquis is named.