Established in the late 19th century by Swiss and German settlers, San Bernardino provides an intriguing glimpse of a faraway continent. Somewhat eclipsed by the town’s German-style bakeries and colonial architecture, Bella Vista Lookout is situated at the highest point in San Bernardino. With vivid murals, a colorful stairway, and a gargantuan statue of the Virgin Mary, this scenic point is far more than just a place to gaze at the bucolic surroundings.
By: Omri Westmark
Date: 22:46 07.12.22
Last Update: 12:32 03.02.25
In the aftermath of the War of the Triple Alliance, where Paraguay was nearly wiped off the map by its giant neighbors, the country was in dire need of new people to compensate for its ensuing demographic collapse. As part of the national effort to nullify the postwar loss of population, thousands of German and Swiss immigrants were enticed to settle throughout the country.
Established in 1881 along the shores of Ypacaraí Lake, San Bernardino was one of Paraguay’s most prominent German towns. Located about 50 kilometers from Asunción, it has recently become a resort town for those who wish to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the Paraguayan capital.
While most visitors stick to the beaches and German-style eateries, San Bernardino is also home to a couple of secluded nooks. Perched atop the town’s highest point, Mirador Bella Vista literally means in Spanish “the beautiful view lookout,” and while the place definitely lives up to its name, it offers far more than just a breathtaking panorama.
At the end of Teniente Weiler Street, the viewpoint is accessed via a colorfully painted stairway, whose steps are embellished with indigenous Guaraní patterns. The flamboyant stairs are accompanied by a series of striking murals, each of which depicts a national motif or animal.
Noticeable from afar, the lookout’s main stairway
photography by: Omri Westmark
Its Tetris-like patterns resonate with Guaraní indigenous art
photography by: Omri Westmark
The multichromatic stairs are accompanied by several murals, one of which depicts a group of scarlet macaws perching atop a tree
photography by: Omri Westmark
The climb up the dozens of steps takes about 2–3 minutes
photography by: Omri Westmark
The stairway traverses a wooded hillside with a couple of private houses on one side
photography by: Omri Westmark
A mural depicting a Guaraní chief
photography by: Omri Westmark
The last flight of stairs before the observatory level
photography by: Omri Westmark
On the hilltop lies a massive white sculpture of the Virgin Mary. Erected in 1994 by a group of three artists (Patricia Ayala, Roberto Hornung, and Monica Delssin), the statue is, in fact, dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida, one of Virgin Mary’s six titles. Interestingly, the haloed statue pays tribute to a far smaller and more famous counterpart.
The story has it that during the early 18th century, three fishermen caught a headless figurine of the Virgin Mary in their net while fishing in the Paraíba River in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Following the recovery of her sculpted head, the salvaged clay statue, named Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, became associated with miracles, earning it a great deal of veneration. As of today, the dark-brownish figurine lies in the aptly named Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in São Paulo, the second-largest Catholic church in the world.
While San Bernardino’s Mary lacks the fame of its Brazilian source of inspiration, it nevertheless makes up for it with a spectacular panoramic view of the German-Paraguayan town as well as the nearby Ypacaraí Lake.
A pair of bluish murals, both of which feature a typical Paraguayan national symbol
photography by: Omri Westmark
Dominating the lookout is a sculpture of Our Lady of Aparecida
photography by: Omri Westmark
The partly obscured vista is enclosed by a wooden frame, where visitors can take photos of themselves against the backdrop of the lake
photography by: Omri Westmark
The sacred statue was created in 1994 by three local artists
photography by: Omri Westmark
A glimpse of Ypacaraí Lake as seen from the lookout
photography by: Omri Westmark
