Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck
Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck

Santa Ana de Velasco Mission: Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos (Eastern Bolivia)

Written by Marco Ramerini. Photos by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck 

Santa Ana de Velasco is a small village in the department of Santa Cruz  in the Amazonian plains of Bolivia near the border with Brazil. The village lies at an altitude of 464 metres and at about 40 km south-east of San Ignacio de Velasco.

The mission of Santa Ana de Velasco is one of the last founded by the Jesuits in Chiquitania. Santa Ana was in fact founded in 1755 by Fr. Julian Nogler. In the new mission settled some residents from the neighboring mission of San Rafael de Velasco.

Santa Ana mission was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990.

Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck

Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck

Columna tallada, Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck.

Columna tallada, Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck.

Hornacina, Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck

Hornacina, Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck

Columna tallada, Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck

Columna tallada, Santa Ana de Velasco mission, Bolivia. Photo Copyright by Geoffrey A. P. Groesbeck

About Marco Ramerini

I am passionate about history, especially the history of geographical explorations and colonialism.