![[San Ignacio municipal flag]](../images/a/ar-n-si.gif)
Last modified: 2021-12-24 by rob raeside
Keywords: san ignacio department | misiones province | argentina |
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image by Ivan Sache, 31 Dec 2013
The municipality of San Ignacio is located in the south of the Misiones Province, close to the border with Paraguay, here river Paraná, 65 km north of Posadas.
San Ignacio is named for the Jesuit Reduction of San Ignacio Miní, founded around 1610 by fathers José Cataldino and Simón Masseta on the left bank of river Paranápanema, and named for the founder of the Society of Jesuit, St. Ignatius of Loyola. The reduction was one of the 12 settlements forming the Guairá mission; from 1627-1632, the Portuguese pioneers ("bandeirantes") suppressed 10 out of the 12
settlements, leaving only Loreto and San Ignacio Miní. Totally isolated and without any possible assistance, the 13,000 inhabitants of the two remaining reductions moved in 1631 southwards, where they
established a new reduction on the banks of river Yabebirí. They moved again in 1669 to San Ignacio's present location. The new reduction was built of stone, instead of timberwood used in the older reductions.
The ruins of San Ignacio Miní were registered as a Provincial Historical Monument by Law No. 510, adopted in 1969 and as a National Historical Monument by Decree No. 2210, adopted in 1983. The ruins of
five Jesuit reductions of the Guaranis, including San Ignacio Miní, were inscribed in 1984 on the UNESCO World Heritage List: "The Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis are the archeological remains of towns created by the Jesuit Order. The towns existed between 1609 and 1818, and aimed to socially, culturally and religiously elevate the local Guarani Indians. They also provided protection and economic stability. Originally there were 30 missions, spread out over Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.
All these Guarani reducciones (settlements) are laid out on the same model: the church, the residence of the Fathers, and the regularly spaced houses of the Indians are laid out around a large square.
However, each of the reducciones is characterized by a specific layout and a different state of conservation.
San Ignacio Miní, founded in 1611, was moved on two successive occasions, settling in its present site in 1696. It incorporates important monumental remains: churches, residence of the Fathers, schools. The ruins are accessible and in a relatively good state of preservation. It is the most eminent example of a reduccion preserved on Argentinean territory."
The modern settlement of San Ignacio was established on 25 September 1877 after the plant drafted by the land surveyor Queirel. The new town was settled on 18 January 1907 by Marcelino Boix, Pablo Allain,
Pablo Martín, Adolfo Lanusse and the Palacios brothers.
The flag of San Ignacio is horizontally divided green-red. In the middle is placed the black and white monogram of the Society of Jesus, surrounded by a yellow-orange sun.
The flag was designed by pupils from the 1"C" class of Escuela Normal Superior No. 5 "Fray Mamerto Esquiú", under the guidance of Gastón Martín Emanuel Barrios (History teacher), María del Carmen Chauveaux (Director) and Mirta Ramirez (Deputy Director).
Red (CMYK 6-99-95-0) represents the red soil of San Ignacio, classified as an oxisoil (laterite).
Green (CMYK 87-30-95-2) represents the forest, the flora and the yerba mate plantations.
The emblem in the middle means that the sun protected the Company of Jesus and that San Ignacio has been shining since its establishment by the Jesuits and will progress day after day.
Ivan Sache, 31 Dec 2013
The municipality is named for Juan Hipólito del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Yrigoyen Alem (1852-1933), 19th (1916-1922) and 21st (1928-1930) President of Argentina, and member of the UCR.
The flag of Hipólito Yrigoyen is divided white-green by a broad ascending diagonal brown stripe. A red tree is placed in the white field, while a yellow rising sun appears in the upper right corner.
The flag was selected in November 2010 in a public contest. The winning design was submitted by the municipality's Cooperative of
public Service.
Ivan Sache, 24 Jan 2014
