Belén, a city in Paraguay, located just 19 kilometres from the departmental capital Concepción, is well known to be the exact point where the Tropic of Capricorn passes through the territory of the South American country, recognised as the oldest centre in the department combining history, natural landscapes and tradition, and distinguished to be the “Ciudad del Payé”, the City of the Payé, with “Payé” that is a spell intended to achieve a specific objective and is made by a “curandero” a healer with magical powers according to the desired end.
Founded 265 years ago as a relevant Last Jesuit site under the guidance of Father José Sánchez Labrador during the government of Jaime Sanjust with the original name of Nuestra Señora de Belén de los Mbayá, since then this centre combines history and development, and stands as a historical and cultural point that keeps the memory of the Jesuit presence in the northern region of the country.
Belén offers various attractions, on the banks of the Ypané, Pororó, and Paso Pedroso Rivers there are popular beach resorts with white sand and beautiful vegetation, several springs irrigate the city and the famous ruins of Purutue Ka'i Cué consisting in the remains of an ancient Brazilian settlement are located a short distance from the city.
The Paraguayan centre still preserves traces of the Jesuit era in its square, old houses, and mansions with colonial features of historical value which revive the city’s rich history, and the significant cultural and architectural influence of the colonial era can be seen throughout the entire centre.
Local surnames such as Guachiré, Paná, Paranderí, Ñamandú and Yaharí reflect the rich cultural heritage of Belén linked to the Guarani, an Indigenous group of South America, who preserve their cultural roots through unique arts, the use of their ancestral language, and strong community bonds maintained by elders and religious leaders.
Today the city has small hotels, bars, and restaurants which complement its historical appeal with houses from the Jesuit era that are still standing.
The Tropic of Capricorn gives Belén a particular climate, ideal for summer, a season in which the beaches of the local rivers and the municipal swimming pool become meeting points, and for this year, the Municipality is preparing improvements in the resort and recreation spaces, with the aim of receiving more visitors.
Currently the local meatpacking plant generates employment for some 2.000 people is the main local industry, while road works such as Concepción - Belén-– Horqueta asphalt route and the asphalting to San Pedro which is already 70% complete and a new bridge over the Ypané River will boost connectivity and tourism.
With a past full of legends, narrations and mythology and an expanding present Belén is emerging as a tourist destination with its own identity, where nature, culture and history are interwinded to bewitch those who visit it.
The city celebrated its 265th anniversary on August 23rd, in an atmosphere of pride and joy for its inhabitants, who recognize the remarkable development experienced in recent years.
The celebrations included a student, civic and military parade, the election of Miss Belén 2025, among eleven young candidates from local society and the festive day closed with the artistic show performed by Los Verduleros and Asunsamba.
The Mayor, Javier Peralta, stressed that there are plenty of reasons to celebrate, since Belén left behind road isolation with the authorization of the Concepción - Belén - Horqueta asphalt road, and with the progress of the work that connects with San Pedro, which in a short time will become a new development corridor for the district.
When this road will be completed, it will be a key route where trucks will circulate daily transporting rice, soya, beans, cattle and other products from the region generating economic progress that will complement the cultural and historical charm Belén retains.
Nowadays with its 265 yeats of history, Belén combines tradition and modernity, celebrating its cultural identity and looking optimistically to the future, becoming a new relevant destination in the north of the country.
Link
https://www.ultimahora.com/belen-la-ciudad-del-paye-se-abre-al-turismo
