Travel Guide Concepción

Concepción is nicknamed the "Pearl of the North" (Encarnación, the "Pearl of the South"). It's a quiet town, but full of life. The centre is pleasant, with low Italian-style houses from the beginning of the 20th century, tree-lined squares and a small port on the Paraguay river. Concepción was founded in 1773, by Governor Agustín Fernando Pinedo, to contain the advances of the Portuguese bandeirantes. Since that time, the inhabitants have had a reputation for fighting spirit. During the wars of the Triple Alliance and the Chaco, the city was a staging post for Paraguayan troops. Later, in 1947, the feverish uprising, or the "Revolution of 47", began there. Since that civil war, Alfredo Stroessner had kept a certain frenzy against Concepción and kept her away from any development. With the Nanawa Bridge connecting it to the Chaco and its millions of cattle, the city has regained a certain dynamism. Slaughterhouses and refrigeration plants can be seen on the side of the bridge. Concepción exudes a certain charm, with its old houses with colourful facades. The historic centre has 25 cuadras. There are Italian-style mansions, such as Villa Ida or the Mansiones Isnardi, Otoño and Albertini, the buildings of the Municipalidad, the theatre, the Gobernación and the old post office dating from 1915. On Avenida Pinedo you can climb the monument of María la Auxiliadora. Finally, you can visit the picturesque port and the municipal market on the other side of Pinedo Avenue.